happen
verb (used without object)
to take place; come to pass; occur.
have been happening
-
present perfect progressiveof happen.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.
Expanding residential development, farmer consolidation and ranch land being converted to hunting grounds in western states have been happening for years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
“All of the events that have been happening since last year, and accelerating this year, tells us that the need for defence is not going away. If anything, sadly, it’s getting stronger.”
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 18, 2026
"It's about meeting people that have done similar things, trodden similar paths, and being able to discuss that, and laugh and joke about things that have been happening," Dr Bennett says.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2025
“Multi-factor authentication attacks have been happening for well over a decade,” Manky said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2025
“Same things have been happening all over the Kingdom,” said the gray-bearded man.
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
