churning

present participle of churn
1
as in swirling
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 stirring
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 churning Bateman is in the midst of churning a career-high output of 654 total yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games so far. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024 Instead, its vivid, expressive prose also explores how aesthetic beauty can cover stomach-churning abuse, while Lin’s rich literary allusions reveal her sensitivity to language and her critical interest in developing a Taiwanese cultural heritage. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024 As for the empty seat at Margiela, the rumor mill has already been churning. Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2024 The first weeks of December were supposed to be a triumph for Macron, a respite from the churning negativity of the political crisis. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2024 There is stuff churning around. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024 Throughout the evening, Jelly Roll was supported by an ace band and a trio of exquisitely talented vocalists, all equally adept at churning, blistering rock numbers and ceiling-scraping, soulful gospel tones. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2024 And this year will be the third Thanksgiving in a row celebrated amid an out-of-control bird flu outbreak, in which tens of millions of chickens and turkeys on infected farms have been culled using stomach-churning extermination methods. Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 27 Nov. 2024 This phenomenon makes the sun’s surface look grainy, and scientists say the star’s magnetic field is driven by the churning plasma. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churning
Verb
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook uncovered without stirring.
    Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 7 Jan. 2025
  • Add the 3 ½ tablespoons butter and, stirring continuously, cook until the caramel reaches 238 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes more.
    Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Coursing through all of these elements is a seething anger at authoritarianism.
    Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Cox and his team were brought in by a handful of wealthy Colorado ranch owners who were still seething over the ballot measure to introduce wolves that passed in 2020 by less than one percent.
    Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Churning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churning. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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