vie
verb (used without object)
to strive in competition or rivalry with another; contend for superiority.
had been vying
-
past perfect progressiveof vie.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.
Until now, Belgium and Chile had been vying to host the future organization.
From Barron's ● Jan. 17, 2026
Reform UK said 17 candidates had been vying for a place on the board, which it describes as the "party's most important decision-making body".
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2025
Other top labels had been vying for him, but Mr. Ostin bested them by taking the rare risk of guaranteeing Prince a three-album deal and by giving him creative control.
From New York Times ● Aug. 1, 2022
Minnesota had been vying for a playoff spot coming down to the last weeks of the season.
From Fox News ● Dec. 27, 2021
These four sons had been vying for supremacy since the beginning of time; the history of the universe was mainly a record of their endless struggle.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
