grind
verb (used with object)
to wear, smooth, or sharpen by abrasion or friction; whet.
were grinding
-
past progressiveof grind.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.
Mostly, though, we were grinding through narrow paths in the woods, trying not to lose track of the orange trail flags.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
"We were going after something we were so passionate about, we were grinding through to get this acquisition," she said.
From BBC ● May 13, 2023
“We did our best today. We were grinding every at-bat, every inning. It just didn’t go our way. So we’re gonna get some rest tonight, refresh for tomorrow and start over again.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2023
As McCarthy celebrated his birthday with a visit from Elon Musk at the Capitol, lawmakers were grinding through a two-day debate on a routine oil-and-gas leasing bill.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 28, 2023
The cogs were grinding against one another with a fearful noise of tearing metal.
From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl
