build
verb (used with object)
to construct (especially something complex) by assembling and joining parts or materials.
were building
-
past progressiveof build.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.
When most baby boomers were building their wealth, $100,000 was a significant benchmark relative to earnings at the time, and equal to several times the typical income.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Brazil had some good ideas when Norway were building out from Nyland.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Even if Hormuz had stayed settled, price pressures were building from another direction: the AI investment boom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
And at the same time, they were building up, while extremely limited, a representative democracy.
From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2026
He walked silently up the ramp with the two men and out into the open field, where, obeying no human master, silent robots were building a ship.
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
