treat
verb (used with object)
to act or behave toward (a person) in some specified way.
had been treating
-
past perfect progressiveof treat.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.
Young San Antonio had been treating this series like a summer internship: make mistakes, get a few contacts, come back stronger down the road.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
The most significant part of the meeting, noted Dario Perkins of TS Lombard, was Powell’s lukewarm support for the look-through approach, a hawkish turn from how the committee had been treating tariffs.
From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026
He said the players had been "treating it well" and leaving the facility in good condition, though he said he might find it harder to manage during harvest time.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2025
Over the years before it defaulted on its debt, Evergrande had been treating money it received for apartments as revenue even though at times it had not built those apartments, the Times reported.
From New York Times ● Mar. 19, 2024
I told him how I felt about school now, and how everybody had been treating me weird—James Skinner, and even some of the teachers.
From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds
