have
verb (used with object)
to possess; own; hold for use; contain.
was having
-
past progressiveof have.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 patient arrived at a Denver emergency room one night terrified that he was having a heart attack.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
“I was having children, I was turning things down and my agent said, ‘Eva Marie, you’ll never be a superstar’ and I said, ‘I don’t want to be a superstar,’” she often recounted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
The real shock to the British public came when word started to trickle out about who was having no trouble getting in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
"There was a woman, she was screaming for help to get her out of the rubble. She was having trouble breathing and told us that there are more people over there," the 30-year-old told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
The dream had left him in a hot sweat, and he was having trouble shaking it.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
