had been perturbing

• 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 perturb.
  perturb

  verb (used with object)

  to disturb or disquiet greatly in mind; agitate.

Related Words

• agitate
• alarm
• annoy
• bewilder
• confound
• confuse
• disconcert
• dismay
• disturb
• fluster
• irritate
• muddle
• perplex
• vex