serve
verb (used without object)
to act as a servant.
had been serving
-
past perfect progressiveof serve.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.
Rushing had been serving as a left-handed bat off the bench and a designated hitter option with Ohtani out, while also building up on the throwing side.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
Clayton had been serving as US attorney for the Southern District of New York, overseeing several prominent cases including the drug trafficking case against former Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Mills had been serving as interim CEO since the beginning of the year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
The 76-year-old telecoms billionaire had been serving a one-year prison sentence for corruption since September and will be required to wear an electronic monitor during his four-month probation period.
From Barron's ● May 10, 2026
The woman who had been serving drinks came out wiping her hands on her apron and talked to somebody inside the bus.
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
