patrol
verb (used without object)
(of a police officer, soldier, etc.) to pass along a road, beat, etc., or around or through a specified area in order to maintain order and security.
were patrolling
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past progressiveof patrol.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.
Federal troops were patrolling Mekelle and manning key institutions on Sunday, a local journalist told AFP, as communications were restored for the first time in more than a week.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
Bedford Borough Council said investigations into the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire were under way and police were patrolling the area.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2024
This behind-the-scenes glimpse of the hijacking is described in a lawsuit filed this week, alleging that Osborn later was wrongfully terminated for raising concerns about how law enforcement agencies were patrolling the Metro system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2024
The monkey was sighted again on Tuesday, and park authorities said they were patrolling the local area and had enlisted the help of a local rescue service.
From New York Times ● Jan. 30, 2024
Mama’s nerves were shot, and now navy jeeps were patrolling the streets.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
