woo
verb (used with object)
to seek the favor, affection, or love of, especially with a view to marriage.
had been wooing
-
past perfect progressiveof woo.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.
One told me they would rather the focus had been wooing younger voters by tackling the amount graduates repay in student loans, an old bruise for the Lib Dems.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
On Sept. 27, 1849, Poe appears to have boarded a steamer in Richmond, where he had been wooing a childhood sweetheart.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 26, 2023
He soon moved the firm to Hong Kong, which had been wooing crypto traders and imposed little oversight on the nascent industry.
From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2022
Now, the regulators Bankman-Fried had been wooing are circling.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 12, 2022
Who had been wooing at monie a place, As the dew flies ower the mulberry tree.
From Ballad Book by Katherine Lee Bates
