consume
verb (used with object)
to destroy or expend by use; use up.
have been consuming
-
present perfect progressiveof consume.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.
Cars have been consuming a larger share of the average household income over the past few years.
From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026
The new MIT study suggests living organisms may also have been consuming it.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 18, 2026
Overall, the region's oil refineries have been consuming less crude than a year ago amid lacklustre economic growth, Euroilstock data has shown.
From Reuters ● Oct. 25, 2023
But humans have been consuming these fungi for thousands of years, and some theories suggesting our ancestors even ate them millions of years ago.
From Salon ● Dec. 13, 2022
If his blindness was the cause of the loss, his frustration and guilt must have been consuming.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
