CHURNING Synonyms: 20 Similar and Opposite Words

churning

verb

present participle of churn

as in swirling

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

as in stirring

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 churning The driver wrenched the Jeep to the left, arm over arm churning at the wheel. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026 The sins of the father are ultimately presented in a literal, stomach-churning slideshow that haphazardly alternates benign family snaps with gleeful photographic evidence of Johan’s war crimes. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026 Monster stars Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, and Ella Beatty, along with Max Winkler, the series’ director and executive producer who oversaw the second episode, break down the stomach-churning scene for Entertainment Weekly. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2026 Some misjudge its power and are swept away, their final moments lost in the churning abyss. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 Uncertainty around spending will require the pipeline to keep on churning. — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Hawaii has dealt with impacts from multiple hurricanes in recent weeks, while Southern California continues to see dangerous surf from a tropical system churning several hundred miles offshore, the second such event to affect the region this 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for churning

Verb

Rumors first began swirling after Madonna and Charli were seated next to each other at the Saint Laurent menswear spring/summer 2027 fashion show in late June.

— Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 21 Sep. 2026
The start was delayed 3 hours, 50 minutes by rain, and most of the game was played in a swirling mist.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

Cook saag over medium-low heat, stirring often, until heated through (do not bring to a simmer or saag may split).

— Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Venus in your career zone forms an awkward connection to Uranus in your playful 5th house, stirring tension between what looks polished and what actually feels interesting.

— Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of stirring

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
While chicken broth is made from meat, chicken stock is made from bones, which are sometimes roasted before boiling to bring out a deeper color and richer flavor.

— Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of boiling

Verb

According to the suit, the video depicts the staff member grabbing a Black student from behind, spinning him around, grabbing him by the shirt and shoving him repeatedly into the metal roll-down door of a concession stand.

— Eric Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
How a flywheel energy storage system works Qnetic’s alternative to the lithium-ion battery consists of a flywheel, or a heavy rotor, capable of spinning at supersonic speed in a frictionless vacuum chamber.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of spinning

Verb

The combat scenes, frequently pitting Latif’s sharpened steel against more popular American weaponry, are staged with whirling verve, wit and, best of all, balletic coherence.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
The room grows as silent as this whirling slot machine of a city can get.

— Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of whirling

Verb

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
Ser Criston Cole, more than perhaps any other character in this story, is seething with resentment.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026