worry
verb (used without object)
to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.
had been worrying
-
past perfect progressiveof worry.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.
"My parents in the south of the country had been worrying about fires, but it's here that it happened," she said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
She had gone for a check-up of a mole on her wrist that had been worrying her.
From BBC ● May 14, 2023
She added that there had been worrying developments, including the suspension of domestic flights inside Libya and movement last week by some forces backing either side towards the capital.
From Reuters ● Mar. 16, 2022
Mary Roth, a parent from New York, had been worrying about her son’s having to live with an unvaccinated fellow student.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 29, 2021
And I had been worrying about being left out of a meeting!
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
