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.
Wales were expelling loads of energy and England were inviting them to keep coming.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2025
She was out of his league, he said, but, “the other guys were inviting her to Der Wienerschnitzel, so I liked my odds.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2024
Not all of them were inviting: Elli Papakonstantinou and Susanne Kennedy, two experimental European directors, created stage worlds so bizarre that following the action proved a tall order.
From New York Times ● Jun. 13, 2023
They weren't just inviting Indian people to our house; they were inviting white people to our house, and we were going to white people's houses and we were cooking and sharing together.
From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2022
Mostly, though, it was the way the field looked so welcoming, as if it were inviting him in.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
