run
verb (used without object)
to go quickly by moving the legs more rapidly than at a walk and in such a manner that for an instant in each step all or both feet are off the ground.
were running
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past progressiveof run.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.
At a July meeting convened by senior White House officials, tensions were running high.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
But the hype got the attention of Wall Street and every business leader who didn’t want to be seen like they were running a pager company in 1999.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
“If I were running today, I wouldn’t run the same race or have the same platform as I did in 2008,” he said in 2020.
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
Great Western Railway, external cancelled its services to Reading and no Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express services were running between Paddington and Heathrow on Saturday night.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
On the street, as they were running, they found an old couple whose bag of belongings had spilled out onto the ground.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
