emit
verb (used with object)
to send forth (liquid, light, heat, sound, particles, etc.); discharge.
were emitting
-
past progressiveof emit.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.
Shannon also feared that the sheer quantity of flowers and the gases they were emitting could create a compost fire, so volunteers had to monitor temperatures carefully and brought in fans.
From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2026
In 2022, an investigation by The Associated Press showed 533 oil and gas facilities in the region were emitting excessive amounts of methane.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 13, 2024
More than half of the supermarkets surveyed with leak detectors and infrared cameras in the Washington area were emitting the climate-warming refrigerants, investigators found in February.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 23, 2021
The scientists claimed that the artist’s sculptures were emitting formaldehyde at dangerous levels, and later published their findings in a scientific journal.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 19, 2018
Her eyes were emitting so much light they’d gone supernova.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
