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churn

verb

Definition of churnnext
1
as in to swirl
to be in a state of violent rolling motion a churning sea made getting to the island a risky undertaking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stir
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly churn the cream until it turns into butter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of churn Somehow, beneath the surface of some cheerful Schubert song, anxiety and sadness seem to be churning. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 In contrast, back-to-back storms have churned across the eastern Pacific since July, with 14 named storms and five hurricanes so far in the eastern Pacific hurricane season. — Dan Peck, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, Hurricane Karina, which had been churning east of the Hawaiian Islands, weakened into a tropical storm on Saturday and did not generate any hazards that affected land. — Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026 The rumor mill is churning with new reports around the Honda Civic Type R HRC, which was previously shown in concept form at Tokyo Auto Salon back in January. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for churn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churn
  1. swirl
  2. stir
  3. boil
  4. spin
  5. seethe
Verb
  • In fact, the exoplanet (or, planet outside of our solar system) was located 450 light-years away from Earth, still resting in the swirling gas and dust where it was born.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Miniature Bellinis, freshly frothed from large pitchers, swirled about on silver trays, happily scooped up by passersby.
    — Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of swirl
Verb
  • In a crockery pot, my father steams cauliflower, stirring it round and round.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Posing for the sports trading app Novig, Sweeney has stirred a debate regarding oversexualization in the world of advertising.
    — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of stir
Verb
  • New potatoes, Red Bliss, fingerlings, and other waxy varieties have a dense texture and hold their shape particularly well after boiling.
    — Molly Baz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Out toward the edge, the star would boil unstably, sloughing off outer layers and explosively ejecting mass.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of boil
Verb
  • To spin total concoctions into something so riveting is — for better or worse — an admirable cinematic skill, one Hur uses to turn a tale of forensic malfeasance into mass entertainment of considerable quality.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • There’s even a record player where vinyl fans can spin classic tunes!
    — Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • Tom Rhys Harries seethes as Matt Hagen, a pretty boy who loses his looks only to regain them from an experimental procedure that makes a jumble of his psyche.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Villains dating hot blondes has the traditional golf journalists seething while SeanJo, myself and Nightcaps legend Zach Dean sit back and just smile.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of seethe

Browse Nearby Words

churls
churn
churned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Churn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churn. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on churn

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about churn

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