Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Officials determined that two columns had buckled on the building’s 21st and 22nd floors and that several floors near the columns were sagging.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
City information officer Jay Pelayo told news agency AFP that the building's walls and scaffolding surrounding it had buckled, likely trapping people in a pile of debris.
From BBC ● May 24, 2026
Her porch had buckled under the extreme weight of the snow, and a large crack cut across her living room ceiling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 29, 2023
But she told police that she was the one who had buckled the child into her car seat.
From Slate ● Feb. 28, 2018
The roof had buckled again just enough to free him.
From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz
