Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
An artist who has painted a victim of the Post Office Horizon scandal as a part of a BBC TV series says the story could only be told through hidden layers.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
Independent polling has painted an inconclusive picture about which Democratic candidate would be more competitive in November.
From Salon ● Mar. 2, 2026
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has painted social media as "a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators".
From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025
To be sure, economic data has painted a mixed picture of the actual conditions of the U.S. economy.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 26, 2025
But God has painted this place gray and brown.
From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi
