tick
noun
a slight, sharp, recurring click, tap, or beat, as of a clock.
have been ticking
-
present perfect progressiveof tick.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.
Hunger mortality rates for the region have been ticking upward, and as many as 29 percent of Somali children younger than 5 are experiencing acute malnutrition.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 13, 2022
Covid-19 hospitalizations have been ticking upward, recently reaching about 130 new admissions a day across New York City, according to state data.
From New York Times ● May 17, 2022
Rates have been ticking up because of a 40-year high in inflation, which the Federal Reserve is attempting to rein in by raising interest rates.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 17, 2022
And in the state’s two most populous regions, hospitalizations have been ticking downward for the last two weeks, falling 12% in Southern California and 17% in the San Francisco Bay Area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2021
I heard that, and it must have been ticking minutes before the sound reached me; perhaps if I waited a little longer I should hear her breathing.
From Jacqueline of Golden River by Coleman, Ralph P. (Ralph Pallen)
