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 Boise-area restaurants are churning, with a longtime Eagle Italian spot bowing out of its space soon, and a Hawaiian chain planting its flag in Kuna. — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2026 America was at an ugly and gut-churning crossroads, with some already crudely resisting whatever democratic gains had come because of stacks upon stacks of movement protests. — Kevin Powell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026 Other videos and photos shared on social media showed people standing on a pedestrian bridge taking photos and videos as churning, brown waters rushed underneath. — Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026 That churning could explain why classic models, which assume that the ISM is in a tranquil equilibrium, don’t quite seem to match reality. — Perri Thaler, Quanta Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026 Tuning into specific moments across Repair reveals plenty of detail churning inside, but there’s little variation between each song, and the record can feel monotonous as a whole. — Vanessa Ague, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026 The claim led to a torrent of stomach-churning abuse and harassment directed at Dangerfield and her husband. — Nathan Taylor Pemberton, Vanity Fair, 29 Oct. 2026 Since January 2023, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has received more than 28,000 complaints, many of which describe the foul smell as rotten, putrid and stomach-churning. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 Beneath the churning buzz of the water pump in the basement corner, a milk snake coiled unnoticed. — Madeline Ffitch, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for churning

Verb

Questions are still swirling after a Sacramento steakhouse suddenly closed its doors, with a lawsuit from employees in tow.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 10 Nov. 2026
That one image—blue oceans swirling with white clouds, landmasses without borders—reshaped the cultural imagination.

— Andrew Zuckerman, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

Cover, turn the heat down to low, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026
ToruńCAMERIMAGE 2026 is taking a pluralistic approach to the subject by giving AI advocates and opponents equal time, and the programming appears more interested in stirring the pot and sparking discussion than taking a firm position.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Nov. 2026

Definition of stirring

Verb

The love of two people wandering in the whirling blizzard, each in their own circle.

— Yasushi Inoue, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
The Cheesecake Factory notably did not acknowledge the political discourse whirling around it, and did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on the Tuscan mom aesthetic.

— Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026