burn
verb (used without object)
to undergo rapid combustion or consume fuel in such a way as to give off heat, gases, and, usually, light; be on fire.
has been burning
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present perfect progressiveof burn (3rd person singular).present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Ukraine, which has been burning through roughly 10,000 drones a month for more than a year, needs to keep costs down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Five people have been injured by the fire, which has been burning since Tuesday.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
The fire at the cold storage facility has been burning for over a week and has prompted declarations of a state of emergency by local and state officials.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Inside, fire officials said, corrugated steel walls are filled with very dense foam that has been burning slowly and emitting gases despite ongoing water drops from helicopters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
They walked intently like people going to a fire after it has been burning for some time.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
