Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dmitriev was also there, captured on camera chatting animatedly to Witkoff, then briefing the media he was inviting U.S. companies to invest in the Russian Arctic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
The majority, he warned, was inviting an endless wave of litigation over evidence that could never truly exonerate a person under Texas law.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2025
But what this did mean was that no one was assessing the safety of the unit she was inviting women to move into.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2023
“It was inviting, it was emotional. It was about connecting with humans and your friends and your loved ones.”
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 26, 2023
I had forgotten about it, but there it was, inviting me to open a letter and forget my troubles.
From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya
