escape
verb (used without object)
to slip or get away, as from confinement or restraint; gain or regain liberty.
was escaping
-
past progressiveof escape.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.
The crew initially tried to restart the engine on gas before they realised that methane was escaping from the side of the ship.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Within minutes, AI me was escaping from a pit of USB cords, and accepting an Oscar for going to bed early.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2025
“I didn’t come to America seeking a better life. It was escaping death.”
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2025
"We knew that mtDNA was escaping mitochondria, but how was still unclear," said Gerald Shadel, PhD, director of the San Diego-Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging at the Salk Institute.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 1, 2024
A faint, gray light seeped into the room, as if the moon was escaping from the clouds.
From "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" by Grace Lin
