toil
noun
hard and continuous work; exhausting labor or effort.
had been toiling
-
past perfect progressiveof toil.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.
He had been toiling at triple-A Albuquerque, blocked in the majors by Russell Martin and the veteran backup Brad Ausmus.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2024
"I had been toiling for 20 years, so I was ready as an artist. Amazon was absolutely ready as a platform to have something that felt different," said Soloway.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2018
He had endured many interviews and congratulations brought on by his 90th birthday last month, and he had been toiling over an acceptance speech for the Kyoto Prize, known as Japan's Nobel.
From Scientific American ● Aug. 25, 2018
The Pasco resident signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners in January and had been toiling all season with Tacoma.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 2, 2013
Father had been toiling day and night to repair the leaks that sprouted throughout the house like chicken pox.
From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord
