do
verb (used with object)
to perform (an act, duty, role, etc.).
were doing
-
past progressiveof do.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.
I became conscious of the work my own hip flexors were doing and checked on my travel partner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
But what Fred and his Polish compatriots were doing, both before the war and during it, was pivotal in the Allied war effort.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
The next week I asked if we were doing it again and I didn’t hear back again until Friday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
They were doing something more interesting: building careers around their own identities, experiences and ideas rather than trying to force themselves into the traditional mold of what a chef is supposed to look like.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
Some were doing chores on deck or in the galley, but most were down in the hold, packing the salted herring into empty barrels.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
