sweep
verb (used with object)
to move or remove (dust, dirt, etc.) with or as if with a broom, brush, or the like.
have been sweeping
-
present perfect progressiveof sweep.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.
Protests to preserve Medicaid have been sweeping the nation for weeks.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2025
Protests have been sweeping Iran since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September.
From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2022
The county was not immune to the changes that have been sweeping the country in the past year.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 15, 2021
Just follow #MeToo to understand that organizations large and small have been sweeping such behavior under the rug and blaming the victims for decades.
From New York Times ● Nov. 29, 2017
No. 3 column should by this time have been sweeping out towards Hill Q along the whole ridge of the mountain, but it was nowhere to be seen.
From The Childrens' Story of the War, Volume 3 (of 10) by James Edward Parrott
