start
verb (used without object)
to begin or set out, as on a journey or activity.
were starting
-
past progressiveof start.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.
Hyperscalers’ plans were starting to bump up against them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
Nats said just before 17:00 BST that its flight systems were starting to recover.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
"Many of the bodies were starting to badly decompose, and there was an unbearable stench in the whole area," said Rudra Adhikary, a member of the district Red Cross committee.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
An offbeat comedy about two friends trying to break into the then-emergent world of music videos, the film stars John Cusack and Tim Robbins just as their careers were starting to take off.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
“I think she and Quinton were starting to get into arguments.”
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
