return
verb (used without object)
to go or come back, as to a former place, position, or state: to return to public office;
had been returning
-
past perfect progressiveof return.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They were part of a group who had been returning from Mr Grimley's 40th birthday celebrations in Dundalk.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2025
One person told OnScene.TV, a video news service, that the people aboard the bus had been returning from a church event.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2025
He described how he had been returning home from a shift in Croydon, south London, with the community group Street Fathers, which aims to protect young people from knife crime.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2025
The men had been returning from Iran’s border with Azerbaijan after inaugurating a joint dam project.
From New York Times ● May 20, 2024
I had been returning home late at night, long after he had gone to sleep, and departing early in the morning before he woke.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
