launch
verb (used with object)
to set (a boat or ship) in the water.
were launching
-
past progressiveof launch.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.
Swalwell announced his resignation after the House Ethics Committee shared that they were launching an investigation into his conduct.
From Salon ● Apr. 13, 2026
With that goal in mind, the Mongolians announced on Facebook last year they were launching an open design competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
And millennials — many who had to weather the Great Recession of 2008-09 just as they were launching their careers — are feeling the pain.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 10, 2026
Escobar said the mayor’s staff instructed the fire department to say that they were launching a “comprehensive review and overhaul” of procedures for tracking the hours of department staff on union leave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2025
The pilots already in the air had all been sent together to turn back a huge raid the Germans were launching on a nearby town just south of Voronezh.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
