do
verb (used with object)
to perform (an act, duty, role, etc.).
was doing
-
past progressiveof do.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.
In a Suffolk University poll in September, some 56 percent of voters said he was doing an “excellent” or “good” job, and another 17 percent rated him “fair.”
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
I taught a lot of tennis in Bel Air and Beverly Hills, and it feels like I always was doing a little PI work.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Gotham’s stellar police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, has continued to do what she was doing before Mr. Mamdani took office—driving New York City crime down to historic lows.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
They repeatedly ignored Ms. Hannah-Jones’s efforts to find out how her daughter was doing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
Someone in a second DNR truck was doing that right now—firing cracker shells into the air from a shotgun as they chased a big dirty polar bear back to the tundra.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
