throw
verb (used with object)
to propel or cast in any way, especially to project or propel from the hand by a sudden forward motion or straightening of the arm and wrist.
had been throwing
-
past perfect progressiveof throw.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.
A key facet of his football game had been throwing the ball out beyond the halfway line to launch quick counter-attacks for his team-mates, so moving across to playing quarterback was a natural fit.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2025
Ever since resuming two-way duties earlier this year, Shohei Ohtani had been throwing the ball well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2025
Oleksandr Fedchenko said he had been throwing around ideas with staff at his car repair shop after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last month, wondering how they could help outgunned local forces.
From Reuters ● Mar. 14, 2022
According to a report by President Richard Nixon’s Commission on Campus Unrest, Jackson State students had been throwing rocks at white motorists.
From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2021
They had been throwing their biscuits all over the place, and they had been finger-painting the walls with dung.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
