been

American

[bin, ben] / bɪn, bɛn /

verb

past participle of be.

been British

/ biːn, bɪn /

verb

the past participle of be 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

A resident says youngsters have been vandalising the car over a number of evenings.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

He had wanted to join the army, but was declared unfit for service as one of his arms has been disabled since birth.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

The decision had been anticipated to be a close call, coming against the backdrop of persistent currency weakness and mounting risks to both growth and inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Senolytic drugs are designed to selectively remove senescent cells, which have been linked to aging, inflammation, and slower tissue repair.

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

And if Trey had been with me instead of Ethan .

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023