cite
verb (used with object)
to quote (a passage, book, author, etc.), especially as an authority.
was citing
-
past progressiveof cite.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.
A few hours later, Lai’s office pivoted and clarified that the president was citing international assessments and U.S. congressional reports rather than predicting a launch date.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026
By 2018, the Supreme Court was citing dictionary definitions in half of its opinions, up dramatically from prior years, according to Mark A. Lemley, a professor at Stanford Law School.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025
The state department did not not provide further details on the attack and it is unclear what reports it was citing.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2025
Another was citing the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that banned shipment in the mail of obscene materials as well as birth control products and items that could induce an abortion.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 18, 2023
The sociologist was citing the Van Plushvelt case as the most important "uplift" symptom of a generation, and as an excuse for his own existence.
From Whirligigs by O. Henry
