own
adjective
of, relating to, or belonging to oneself or itself (usually used after a possessive to emphasize the idea of ownership, interest, or relation conveyed by the possessive).
were owning
-
past progressiveof own.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.
Civil Guard police raided the couple's home on the island of Majorca after learning that they were owning and breeding rare feline species which they then sold on social media.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2025
Even if they weren’t going home, ever, they were owning their actions and striving to be better people.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 28, 2024
Growth funds based on the S&P 500 indexes now contain fossil-fuel energy stocks, and if you thought that by holding those funds you were owning tech stocks, you may be disappointed.
From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2023
"If I were owning a team, I would go out and sink my money in front office talent," a high-ranking executive told Olney.
From Chicago Tribune ● Oct. 3, 2011
He smiled; an odd little embarrassed smile; almost as if he were owning that it was or had been true.
From The Three Sisters by May Sinclair
