churns

present tense third-person singular of churn
1
as in swirls
to be in a state of violent rolling motion a churning sea made getting to the island a risky undertaking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in stirs
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 churns Forecasters are monitoring a busy Atlantic Ocean after Tropical Storm Humberto formed in the Central Tropical Atlantic, as Hurricane Gabrielle churns to the northeast, and a third potential cyclone threatens to follow. Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025 As Hurricane Gabrielle churns in the open Atlantic, forecasters are watching two tropical waves that could soon develop – signs the slow hurricane season is beginning to heat up. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025 Beachgoers are being warned to stay off the sand and out of the water as Hurricane Erin churns toward New York, where it is expected to cause dangerous rip currents. Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2025 The buck kicks his feet, churns mud, and slings debris skyward. Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2024 As Hurricane Milton churns toward Tampa Bay, scientists say the swiftly intensifying storm could bring historic devastation to Florida’s second-largest metropolitan area. Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churns
Verb
  • The lights are dim and jazzy music swirls the intimate crowd.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025
  • But as the trial date approaches and uncertainty swirls over what the lawsuit could mean for the future of stock car racing, many of the team owners expressed a feeling of urgency to see the litigation resolved and indicated the current charter system was vital for their continued existence.
    Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Yet, beneath this comforting picture, another reality stirs.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Something stirs beneath the surface as this mystifying energy takes hold, inviting us to explore the shadows, confront the truth and rise into transformation.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Longer-term, Indomo seeks to tackle conditions including keloids, boils and more via its ClearPen technology.
    Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Gretchen is just as bad as Tamra, two boils on the same hairy ass.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Michelle spins a long and complicated tale, but insists Teddy was wrong about the Andromedans trying to infiltrate and poison humanity.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Shai Fargian, corporate executive chef at Calle Sol, spins that take into something more primal.
    Timothy DePeugh, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This is why Dijon’s language works best as sound, not narrative—his rangy, raspy voice seethes and triumphs, mocks and threatens; there’s no world in which his polygonal perspective can be discerned from a lyric sheet.
    Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Gambling scandal roils the NBA A big reason for Kansas City’s success has been the improved play of its pass catchers.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The contention over Bad Bunny's impending performance at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show roils on.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Churns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churns. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on churns

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!