捜してた

was looking for, was searching for

→ 捜す
捜し search for, look for + て Te-form (conjunctive form) + た Past tense
verb · informal, imperfect tense Rare #21,901
was looking for, was searching for A common conversational contraction of 捜していた.
JA: 鍵を捜してた。
EN: I was looking for the key.
Conjugation of 捜す
Indicative imperfect
捜してた

私が捜してた鍵はこれです。

This is the key I was looking for.

捜してたんだ

I was looking for you.

— ほんとうのピノッキオ (2019)

君を捜してた

I was looking for you.

— ほんとうのピノッキオ (2019)

捜してた鍵が見つかったよ。

I found the keys I was looking for.

それよそれ、私が捜してたやつ。

That's it—that's the one I was looking for.

ずっと捜してた

I've been looking for you this whole time.

— ほんとうのピノッキオ (2019)

捜してたんだよ

I've been looking for you.

— When Marnie Was There (2014)

お前のこと捜してたんだぞ。

I've been looking for you.

俺が捜してた人材だ

You're exactly the kind of talent I've been looking for.

— エリート・スクワッド (2007)

朝からずっと捜してたのよ。

I've been looking for it all morning.