wipe
verb (used with object)
to rub lightly with or on a cloth, towel, paper, the hand, etc., in order to clean or dry the surface of.
were wiping
-
past progressiveof wipe.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.
In the late 19th century, Americans were wiping out entire bird populations to satisfy the human desire to adorn hats, scarves and coats with feathers.
From Washington Post ● May 25, 2022
Americans were wiping down packages with disinfectant while debating the benefits of wearing masks.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 11, 2022
In the late 1980s, he switched careers to take over as head of Kenya's Wildlife Service at a time when poachers were wiping out the country's entire elephant and rhino populations.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2022
His arrest in April 2020 came early in the pandemic, when there was still uncertainty over how the coronavirus spread, and as many people were wiping down their groceries and emptying stores of disinfectant.
From New York Times ● Oct. 6, 2021
They talked after every swallow, they talked after every drink they took, they talked whilst they were wiping off their lips.
From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis
