had been deforming

• past perfect progressive

  past perfect progressive

  Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.

  of deform.
  deform

  verb (used with object)

  to mar the natural form or shape of; put out of shape; disfigure.

Related Words

• contort
• impair
• maim
• mangle
• mutilate
• skew