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.
have been burning
-
present perfect progressiveof burn.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.
The AI build-out so far has been funded mostly by a handful of tech companies, which have been burning through their cash piles and issuing a mountain of new AI-related bonds since last fall.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
The major fires have been burning for two or three days, with many hundreds of firefighters battling them around the clock, to the point of exhaustion.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
It comes amid criticism from residents over a lack of resources like helicopters to tackle the fires, some of which have been burning for days across north and south Wales.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The Airport, Bridge and Line fires started near the beginning of September and have been burning for weeks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2024
It seems that the Marburg virus may have been burning through rural areas in Uganda not far from Kitum Cave.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
