phone
noun
was phoning
-
past progressiveof phone.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.
At a pivotal point in “The Christophers,” Lori explains how she can see that Julian was phoning it in during his later series of the titular paintings.
From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2026
Secretary of State Antony Blinken rushed to the White House for meetings and was phoning foreign counterparts, while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israel’s defense minister.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 7, 2023
"He seemed quite composed and suddenly told me his wife had disappeared the night before and he was phoning to let me know before I read it in the paper," her statement said.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2022
He was phoning me: ‘Forget about that, come on down, work out.’
From New York Times ● May 30, 2017
The new watchman, Luno’s replacement, nearly fried when a falling cinder ignited the ticket shed, where he was phoning for help.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
