churned

Definition of churnednext
past tense of churn
1
as in swirled
to be in a state of violent rolling motion a churning sea made getting to the island a risky undertaking

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

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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 churned Rare was the creative artist, post-1970, who wasn’t churned up by bobbing in the Beatles’ wake. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026 And while the city churned with anger, Se7enbites owner Trina Gregory took steps, swift ones, to bring some beauty back. Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026 Wind gusts buffeted the mountain and churned the air into a flurry of ice crystals that stung the climbers’ faces and crackled against their helmets. Gregory Thomas, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Mar. 2026 Markets have churned in response to the fighting, which has massively disrupted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy corridor. Kevin Breuninger,sam Meredith,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026 And a pair of Dodgers defensive miscues further churned the waters. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026 Her signature style combines the best elements of high-butterfat American-style ice cream and South Asian kulfi, a denser frozen treat with no air churned in. Beth Kracklauer, Outside, 27 Feb. 2026 As the online rumor mill churned, some South Floridians became concerned. Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026 He’s never churned butter for real, though. Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churned
Verb
  • But even Doncic, on a night when drama swirled around his postgame allegations, couldn’t help but smile when thinking about how Saturday ended.
    Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026
  • The downtown bakery’s standby consists of country buttermilk dough swirled with kinako (roasted soybean powder) and sesame seeds.
    Mario Cortez, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The prewar decline in mortgage rates stirred hopes of a robust spring selling season.
    Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Plato briefly stirred to life to announce that there had never been such a thing as a Department of Education, then shut back down.
    Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Jamaicans typically eat ripe plantain fried or boiled as a side dish.
    Andre Fowles, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
  • There, they are boiled with sugar and then made into a red bean paste to use in other recipes for pastries or other desserts.
    Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Surfaces that may have touched the cheese should be washed and sanitized with hot, soapy water.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Hands are meant to be washed before and directly after handling raw meat.
    Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The state and the economic alliance forged ahead, the development letter of intent transferring to Sandisk after Western Digital spun it into a separate public company.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The American band’s 1996 debut spun indie pop gold from heartache and secondhand Hammond organ.
    David Glickman, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The jaguar growled, whirled and bit off the protruding head of the arrow.
    Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
  • The journey started as a boy in Chicago, where sirens whirled through Rizzs’ neighborhood when the White Sox won the pennant in 1959.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • For the next several years, Hostetler seethed on the bench.
    Tim Rohan, NBC news, 24 Jan. 2026
  • Sean Payton stood behind a lectern in a small room deep inside Levi’s Stadium back in August and seethed.
    Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Churned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churned. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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