consume
verb (used with object)
to destroy or expend by use; use up.
were consuming
-
past progressiveof consume.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.
And in the NICU, the sickest babies wouldn’t even be able to breastfeed safely unless they could measure the exact amount of milk they were consuming.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2025
They found that the spiders were consuming more aquatic insect prey in the tropics than in the UK, resulting in higher overall dietary diversity in the tropical food-webs, on-land.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 9, 2023
The models sometimes appeared as if the garments were consuming them.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 29, 2023
And by the Middle Ages, felines in some Middle Eastern ports were consuming large quantities of fish—including tuna—likely because they were feasting on the scraps left by fishers.
From Science Magazine ● Aug. 25, 2023
He glanced toward the kitchen, which the flames were consuming with glee, and headed across the living room toward Angel’s bedroom.
From "Forged by Fire" by Sharon M. Draper
