smoulder
verb (used without object)
have been smouldering
-
present perfect progressiveof smoulder.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.
Under Arnolds Field on Launders Lane, tonnes of years-old and illegally dumped toxic waste have been smouldering beneath the surface for years.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2025
Recent fires - thought to be caused by fermented grain - have been smouldering for weeks, and officials had warned the silos could be close to collapse.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2022
But the fire he stirred to flame must have been smouldering.
From Home Life in Germany by Mrs. Alfred Sidgwick
A lot of woollen goods are on fire in the main hold, and must, from the extent of the area already consumed, have been smouldering for days.
From The Wreck of the Nancy Bell Cast Away on Kerguelen Land by W. S. (Walter S.) Stacey
The fire, which all this time must have been smouldering unseen, had burst into a great blaze, trees and bushes were wrapped in sulphurous flames, which, fanned by the breeze, were spreading rapidly.
From Mr. Fortescue An Andean Romance by William Westall
