churn

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

Relevance

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 Get your brain churning and start your morning by testing out your knowledge. Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Oct. 2025 The night at Al Baretto ends with a flourishing of sorbet, with a waiter churning the white mound in an iced silver bowl. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025 The brutal, provocative opening scene featuring Xavier Dolan depicting the realism of bigotry and hate is stomach-churning, but fits into the dark atmosphere of the source material. Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025 The latest forecasts also follow twin hurricanes Humberto and Imelda that are churning in the Atlantic as well. Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for churn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churn
Verb
  • Many rumors have been swirling around in Cleveland that more trades are imminent.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • None of them became a symbol of the female liberation that was swirling in the culture at the time.
    Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In a heatproof bowl, stir together the eggs, egg yolks, and cornstarch until completely combined.
    Stephanie Ganz, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Warm it over medium heat and stir in the gelatin.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Instead of gradually boiling into insanity, the film hits fever pitch hallucinations right away and quickly exhausts itself attempting to keep pace.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
  • The abacá fibers are harvested three times a year, cut, stripped, dried and bundled before being boiled and pressed into sheets for shipping to Taiwan.
    Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Jones appeared to target Bourne, who spun the opposite way of Jones’ throw.
    Cam Inman, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
  • There are few cities in the world with the same head-spinning array of top-tier hotels as Venice.
    Liam Hess, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The result was a gonzo spaghetti Western that seethed with anti-colonialist sentiment and won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The course-reversal comes after Trump cut first-term side deals with Democratic leaders that left GOP lawmakers seething.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Churn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churn. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on churn

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!