CHURN Synonyms: 20 Similar and Opposite Words

churn

verb

Definition of churn

as in to swirl

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

as in to stir

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 churn In the Central Pacific, Tropical Storm Lala continued to churn with 50 mph (80 kph) winds but wasn't threatening land. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 Gelato is churned more slowly than ice cream, giving it a dense, almost taffy-like chewy texture. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026 European butter is typically churned for a longer amount of time, which means that more buttermilk and water drains off of the solids. — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for churn

Recent Examples of Synonyms for churn

Verb

Much has changed on the ground in Chicago since Ahmed left town for Dubai as investigations swirled around him.

— Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of swirl

Verb

The Martian atmosphere is thin, just 1 percent the density of air at sea level on Earth, so helicopters flying on Mars must spin their rotors faster than on Earth to generate lift.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
The team's prior work had identified that during rpTDEs, supermassive black holes exert a torque on the passing star that causes the star to spin faster during each passage.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of spin

Verb

Villains dating hot blondes has the traditional golf journalists seething while SeanJo, myself and Nightcaps legend Zach Dean sit back and just smile.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
In the very human-scale role of Chef, all that glamour and pageantry seethes just beneath the skin.

— Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of seethe

Browse Nearby Words

churls

churn

churned

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Style

“Churn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churn. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of churn

verb

Example Sentences

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