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 These are songs that iterate and elevate minor party fouls into dramas of symphonic proportion, arrangements that articulate the heightened emotions churning inside anxious minds. — Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to continue churning the roster The Dolphins have made 16 waiver wire claims or practice squad poaches since training camp opened. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026 Multiple temperature records have been shattered, and an intense marine heat wave has been churning since last December — making our typical high tides even higher — El Niño notwithstanding. — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Much of the work to keep the movie’s pulse racing is done by the dense soundscape folded into Joseph Trapanese’s churning score. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, Hurricane Isaias is churning its way toward the northeastern Gulf Coast and is likely to make landfall as a hurricane, according to a consensus of most computer models — not just DeepMind. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 Tropical Storm Isaias, which is churning hundreds of miles south of the Gulf Coast, is expected to rapidly strengthen in the next 24 to 48 hours before making landfall on Friday as a hurricane. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 In the churning, deep waters of the Bay of All Saints, conventional construction equipment doesn’t stand a chance. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026 Two other powerful storms were churning in the Atlantic Ocean but were not near land. — Eugene Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for churning

Verb

Outside, the Santa Ana winds sent debris swirling with powerful gusts.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
As for the suites, the highlight is their private terraces, peaceful havens from which to admire, paradoxically, the urban whirlwind swirling below.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

Some carts were stacked high with metal steamers, while others held vats of boiling water to blanch tender stalks of gai lan.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Residents and businesses in South Fulton, Fairburn, Union City, Chattahoochee Hills and Palmetto can use tap water without boiling it after Atlanta officials lifted the boil water advisory Wednesday morning.

— CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of boiling

Verb

Antetokounmpo also blocked a Noah Clowney dunk attempt a few minutes later, and then got the ball back for a spinning finger roll on the other end.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Use one of the big red buttons to listen to whatever is spinning live on NTS Channel 1 and Channel 2, or scroll through a rotary dial to listen to one of 16 music-only radio streams.

— Kevin Cortez, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of spinning

Verb

The night before our spaghetti dinner, Caleb sat me down by the cabin’s large, whirling fireplace and talked to me about meatballs for two hours.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Maybe my favorite styling element of all on this car is the whirling radiator fan sitting atop the engine, 917-style.

— Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 15 Oct. 2026