describe
verb (used with object)
to tell or depict in written or spoken words; give an account of.
was describing
-
past progressiveof describe.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.
Like Dixon, he was describing the predictable consequence of forcing voters back to the polls after they believed that the election was over.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
When Alexander Hamilton praised the “unequaled spirit of enterprise,” he was describing a country that fielded more than 4,000 merchant ships and not a single Navy warship.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
But Montgomery-Devlin has told BBC NI's Spotlight programme that both she and the DCI believed the woman was describing Donaldson.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
"Jeremy was describing... the fact that it looks so three-dimensional, like this globe outside the window," recalled his wife.
From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 2026
His father was describing exactly what he himself had found under the hornbeam trees.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
