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

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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

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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 Cramer also pushed back on the notion that Cook was merely a skilled operator who kept Apple's machine churning. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 Ashcroft keeps the pace steady and the atmosphere churning, while Deming conjures a more generic but perfectly effective air of menace in damp shades of brown and teal. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 Peaceful, lush green valleys are transformed in an instant with the violence of churning water. — Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026 Like most neighborhood kids, Wang was obliged to help with household chores after class, especially churning soymilk by endlessly hauling his uncle’s giant stone mill around. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 18 Aug. 2026 An estimated 1,000 volunteers hauled sandbags to Rocky Ripple's levee, hoping to raise the barrier high enough to fend off the churning water, which managed to seep through in some places. — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 18 Aug. 2026 This season’s combination of a sputtering offense and a shaky bullpen – exposed again Sunday as the Brewers padded their lead in the late innings – is already way too stomach-churning for Dodger fans. — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 17 Aug. 2026 Yet the high-speed ferry rides can be stomach-churning for some tourists, according to a number of social media posts. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026 But rather than embrace that way of thinking as her ethos going forward, Teng chooses to elide much (but not all) of the most stomach-churning footage at her disposal. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for churning

Verb

Now, a new enigmatic 10-sided feature known as the decagon has been spotted swirling on the complete opposite side of the ringed planet.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Early Tuesday morning, Anaheim mayor Ashleigh Aitken started getting a slew of calls and texts — rumors were swirling about a potential landmark day in her hometown.

— Sam Blum, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

Karina, a former Category 4 hurricane spinning about 755 miles east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and Tropical Storm Marie, churning about 705 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California.

— Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
An exhausting, head-spinning and often downright silly offseason is officially over after college football really kicked off on Thursday (after the always bizarre Week 0 last weekend).

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of spinning

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