reign
noun
the period during which a sovereign occupies the throne.
were reigning
-
past progressiveof reign.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.
A decade ago, they were reigning 5,000-1 Premier League champions and the toast of the world.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Just a few decades later, however, the double, queen and king were reigning supreme.
From Salon ● Jan. 2, 2024
By way of illustration, it was Arsenal who were reigning double champions at the time; Leeds righted some wrongs by prevailing 1-0 at Wembley thanks to Mick Jones’ pullback and Allan Clarke’s diving header.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 6, 2020
Australia, who have won the Davis Cup on 28 occasions, second only to the United States, were reigning champions and favourites when they faced Britain at Crystal Palace in October.
From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2015
It was while the Hyksos kings were reigning that Abraham visited the Delta.
From Early Israel and the Surrounding Nations by A. H. (Archibald Henry) Sayce
