smolder
verb (used without object)
to burn without flame; undergo slow or suppressed combustion.
had been smoldering
-
past perfect progressiveof smolder.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.
These warnings stoked a fire that had been smoldering for decades.
From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2021
The Beachie Creek Fire had been smoldering for a couple of weeks about 10 miles away in remote terrain so treacherous that crews had not been able to fully subdue the blaze.
From New York Times ● Sep. 17, 2020
When the popular Karlsson was traded, the dumpster that had been smoldering was set ablaze.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 13, 2018
Unlike Brown, he had been smoldering with anger as Brown languished in jail for a crime Stolarz was convinced he did not commit.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 21, 2016
Something that had been smoldering inside her since she first saw the statue, that had been fed by the Times article, now flared into an idea.
From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg
