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 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 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for churning

Verb

A lot is swirling leaguewide, and Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly.

— Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Rumors are also swirling around about the later iPhones’ Dynamic Island camera housing coming to these MacBook Pro models.

— Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

Add 1 cup orzo and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

— Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
Andrew Durand, with his handsome crab-apple features, makes a perfectly quizzical Benjamin; Kelsee Kimmel is stirring as his true love, who shares his age just once.

— Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of stirring

Verb

Literature, theater and operas furthered her interest in spinning tales of her own.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026
With tweezers, the scientists gently pulled the strand of silk from the spider’s spinnerets — the abdominal spigots that fibers emerge from — and reeled it in by winding it around a vial with a spinning motor.

— Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 28 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