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

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 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 Your car is watching you, and that hard stop and brief glance to the side are data sent directly to your car insurer, churning into an algorithm that decides your future premiums. — Andréa Becker, STAT, 14 Aug. 2026 The reimagining of Borden’s story comes on the heels of the stomach-churning third installment, which starred Hunnam as infamous serial killer Ed Gein, famed for his gruesome home filled with human remains. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026 All of this good fortune heaped a mountain of pressure on Burke, who was then living in Virginia and working as an associate editor at Katie Couric Media, a fast-churning life-style site that traffics primarily in wellness and shopping content. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for churning

Verb

Starting Friday, the strong wind shear that’s been swirling in the Atlantic all season and keeping most storms at bay is expected to pick up again, wearing away at Dolly.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Eyewitness footage recorded from the village of Verzeille captured a tornado forming and swirling beneath a violent supercell thunderstorm south of the southern French city of Carcassonne on August 24, 2026.

— CBS News, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth until warmed through, or microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring after each, until warmed through.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
In a candid Instagram video published Saturday, the Bay Area librarian and social media star updated his social media supporters about his condition, days after stirring concern online and announcing his plans to seek treatment at a hospital.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of stirring

Verb

Within a mind-spinning eight months, Zori Timeless Hotel was born, cleverly converted from the old pension into four luxurious residences within the confines of strict planning regulations that forced them to use the existing space.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
About 30 riders were stranded upside down when the spinning pendulum-style ride became stuck in a vertical position on June 14, 2024.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026