celebrate
verb (used with object)
to observe (a day) or commemorate (an event) with ceremonies or festivities.
were celebrating
-
past progressiveof celebrate.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.
All of a sudden, the Rays were celebrating an unlikely 4-3 victory to stave off a sweep at the hands of the Brewers and extend the World Series for at least one more day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
The attendees were celebrating the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness, which announced that it had reached 2 million children with civics education since its founding in 2016.
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026
Last summer London City were celebrating promotion from the second tier of English football, while Putellas was mourning defeat in the Euro 2025 and Champions League finals.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Little said that the beach was crowded by about 9 a.m. but that visitors were celebrating peacefully.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
My dad vowed to make a special sign to hang outside the restaurant that would say we were celebrating almost two decades and counting.
From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya
