had been flustering

• 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 fluster.
  fluster

  verb (used with object)

  to put into a state of agitated confusion.

Related Words

• agitate
• bewilder
• confound
• confuse
• discombobulate
• distract
• muddle
• mystify
• nonplus
• perplex
• unhinge