signal
noun
anything that serves to indicate, warn, direct, command, or the like, such as a light, a gesture, an act, etc.: a signal to leave.
had been signaling
-
past perfect progressiveof signal.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.
The officer had been signaling east- and westbound traffic to come to a stop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
In 1981, Iran faced the start of a grinding, yearslong war with Iraq, as well as incoming President Ronald Reagan, who had been signaling taking a tougher stance internationally than Carter.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 13, 2023
By the time Musk closed on the deal in late October, he had been signaling for a while that he’d do the job as more of a businessman than a free-speech ideologue.
From Slate ● Nov. 8, 2022
Reinhart said the Fed had been signaling a modest tightening by historical standards but could shift gears given recent data.
From Reuters ● Feb. 15, 2022
Before the Wasp could take possession of her opponent, however, the two war vessels to which the Avon had been signaling came up.
From Hero Tales from American History by Theodore Roosevelt
