starve
verb (used without object)
to die or perish from lack of food or nourishment.
had been starving
-
past perfect progressiveof starve.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.
“I didn’t know I had been starving in that way. … A lot of people didn’t know they needed a tribe until a tribe showed up.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2021
Through the first seven games of the season, the Nationals had been starving for an inning like this, where they string hits and runs together and give their pitching staff a cushion.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 14, 2015
“I used to look like I had been starving for a while, with no hint of luxury. My eyes were sunken, my forehead was flat. . . .”
From The New Yorker ● Mar. 16, 2015
The commander said that his men had been starving and thirsty, exhausted from many days of battle, and had decided to take the oasis so as to be able to return to the war.
From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
We arrived home to a very special heroes’ welcome: the town had been starving outright for good scuttlebutt.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
