had been spreading
- past perfect progressive of spread.
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
