celebrate
verb (used with object)
to observe (a day) or commemorate (an event) with ceremonies or festivities.
was celebrating
-
past progressiveof celebrate.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
It was a feast day and everyone was celebrating, but M's daughter stayed in her room crying.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Torrecampo competed in Manila in July as the Philippines was celebrating Eala's historic Wimbledon run - one that Torrecampo and the entire nation followed on streaming and social media.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Ravika was celebrating her birthday on holiday with her husband when she got an unusual alert from her fitness tracker.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
He was celebrating Monday after his two sons, Davis and Parker, coached the 18U club team to the AAU Open Junior National Championship in Orlando, Fla.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
France was celebrating something, and even though they tried to be quiet about it, it was hard not to stay up and watch the little fireworks display.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
