volunteer
noun
a person who voluntarily offers to perform a service or other undertaking.
had been volunteering
-
past perfect progressiveof volunteer.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.
In a court filing, they said he had been volunteering at a maritime institute that teaches sailing to underprivileged teens, adding that the head of the program had praised Do’s “unwavering ethical compass.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2025
Mariia, who had been volunteering at the Ukrainian Red Cross in Mariupol, gathered her senses enough to shout over, telling her to stop.
From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2022
On Wednesday afternoon, Dan and Lynne Gulak, married retirees and church members who had been volunteering since the outbreak of war, were taping and labeling boxes in the basement when the telephone rang.
From New York Times ● Mar. 11, 2022
Trzaskowski noted on Friday that psychologists, giving just one example, had been volunteering to help refugees but soon will need to return to their jobs.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 11, 2022
Kosianenko, who had been volunteering at a food kitchen in Sumy before she left, said she served soldiers who wanted guns and ammunition but received none.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 10, 2022
