retrieve
verb (used with object)
to recover or regain.
was retrieving
-
past progressiveof retrieve.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.
Dowdy’s first task that evening was retrieving the Chevy Trax in Alexandria.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
Two hours later, his house still was not flooded, and he was retrieving more sandbags to cover the back side of the house.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 2, 2022
“It will not break Donbas,” said Yevgeny, 45, an I.T. programmer who was retrieving his car covered in dust but undamaged from a rented garage.
From New York Times ● Jul. 10, 2022
Joe Kent, a military veteran, met Trump at Dover Air Force Base in 2019 as he was retrieving the remains of his wife, a Navy linguist killed in action in Syria.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2022
Later, as Officer Delinko was retrieving his third thermos of coffee from the squad car, he thought he saw a series of small white flashes at the other end of the property.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
