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.
Iranian state television said an oil tanker was struck and was sinking after trying to "illegally" pass through the strait.
From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026
"But four steps in I realised I'd gone wrong, I was sinking," she said.
From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2025
Kennedy, who had basically stopped campaigning for months, was sinking in polls and was running out of cash.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2024
Their father, William Curry, a retired electrical engineer and business executive, was sinking deeper into dementia.
From New York Times ● May 13, 2024
They stood there in complete silence, side by side, while the incense smouldered into ashes; and then because the sun was sinking, Wang Lung shouldered the box and they went home.
From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
