cough
verb (used without object)
to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a harsh noise, often involuntarily.
were coughing
-
past progressiveof cough.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.
“They were coughing nonstop, their eyes were red and there were all these burn marks on their skin,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2025
Their most common complaints were coughing and fatigue.
From Slate ● Mar. 19, 2023
Some of the animals were coughing and trembling from the cold.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 5, 2023
The most common complaints during a symptom rebound were coughing, feeling fatigued and having a headache.
From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2022
You were coughing in concert with the buzzing hordes of mosquitoes, and we were all slapping and scratching at our skin.
From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman
