Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For much of the day they were ducking scrutiny at their home in North Port, Fla., where their son arrived on Sept. 1 in Petito’s van – without her.
From Fox News ● Sep. 25, 2021
During the pandemic, “we had patients who were ducking in closets, who were going out behind the carport, trying to find anywhere that they could go,” Brodine said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2021
The only negative for New Zealand was the yellow cards for props Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tuungafasi, both for arm tackles hitting the ball-carriers’ heads, though both times the Namibians were ducking down.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2019
On the Hill Thursday afternoon, individual senators like Portman, Toomey, and Maine Sen. Susan Collins were ducking into McConnell’s office.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2017
They were walking low and their heads were ducking and shooting from side to side just like the man’s had been.
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
