been

American

[bin, ben] / bɪn, bɛn /

verb

past participle of be.

been British

/ biːn, bɪn /

verb

the past participle of be 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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been

There are currently 20 countries taking part and the list of elite runners registered has not yet been disclosed.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

The matter has been referred to an independent oversight body, the military said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

Mohammed Ashim has been cutting hair and trimming beards for four years in Bengaluru.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Public reception, however, has been less than enthusiastic.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

“I’ve been trying to get the nerve to ask you out since last year.”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023