happen
verb (used without object)
to take place; come to pass; occur.
were happening
-
past progressiveof happen.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.
Corporate investigations and prosecutions that were happening a few years ago “have pretty much been dialed way back,” said Evan T. Barr, a former federal prosecutor now with the law firm Reed Smith.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
The White House official also confirmed this reporting to Barron’s and said meetings were happening today with the Commerce Department.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
So were its transport systems: If this were happening two years ago, the agency likely would have managed the conveyance of Ebola samples from suspected outbreaks to Kinshasa, Congo’s capital, where they could be tested.
From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026
As those talks were happening, the activists were hard at work.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
The computer causes the dials and gauges to move just as they would if various things were happening to the real spacecraft.
From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins
