spread
verb (used with object)
to draw, stretch, or open out, especially over a flat surface, as something rolled or folded (often followed byout ).
had been spreading
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past perfect progressiveof spread.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.
Ahead of the mass departure from Fnideq, a rumour had been spreading that the border to the Spanish exclave would be open, alongside images of young people arriving by foot or swimming.
From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026
This suggests the outbreak had been spreading undetected for months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
The first known case was a nurse who developed symptoms on 24 April, so the virus had been spreading undetected for weeks.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
By then the disease had been spreading for weeks, if not months, making containment to one state impossible.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2025
It had been spreading quietly along the Kinshasa Highway, a transcontinental road that wanders across Africa from east to west and passes along the shores of Lake Victoria within sight of Mount Elgon.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
