sleep
verb (used without object)
to take the rest afforded by a suspension of voluntary bodily functions and the natural suspension, complete or partial, of consciousness; cease being awake.
had been sleeping
-
past perfect progressiveof sleep.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.
One, who said he was aged 17, pointed out an improvised structure of bars and pallets where he and his friends had been sleeping.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
They also rated how deeply they felt they had been sleeping and how sleepy they were.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 26, 2026
Curzon said that Brohiri had been sleeping rough on trains, in hospitals and in libraries.
From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026
A tree had crashed through the house feet from where she had been sleeping.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 21, 2025
He had been sleeping in his shirt to keep warm, so he only had to pull on his overalls as he went.
From "Sounder" by William H. Armstrong
