churn

Definition of churnnext
1
as in to swirl
to be in a state of violent rolling motion a churning sea made getting to the island a risky undertaking

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2
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

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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 And in September, Hurricane Marie churned up big waves that damaged oceanfront homes near Los Angeles before veering away from the coast. — Nicholas Grondin, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 The wrinkle is that younger customers are more likely to sign up online, where memberships tend to churn at higher rates than those started in stores. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, Hurricane Isaias is churning its way toward the northeastern Gulf Coast and is likely to make landfall as a hurricane, according to a consensus of most computer models — not just DeepMind. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 Instead, overtones accumulate and churn and a loose banner of guitar is draped across the song. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for churn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churn
Verb
  • Despite the fact that the brand was receiving better reviews and creating more buzz recently, speculation had been swirling for months that Leoni’s contract may not be renewed.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Questions continue to swirl, even as a second phase of the anti-fraud effort is underway.
    — Julie Appleby, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • To a small bowl, add the tamarind purée, chiles, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt and stir to combine.
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The story centers on two ex-lovers who come back into each other’s lives after spending decades apart, only to find old feelings stirring with messy and mixed results.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Water can now be used for all purposes without boiling, the department said.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • All residents and other property owners who have experienced water outages, low water pressure, or both, are advised to boil all water or use bottled water for drinking, cooking, preparing baby food or brushing their teeth, the news release said.
    — Reed Williams, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Allison worries everyday fans are being conditioned to see the diamond – or the court or the field – as slot machines and the human athletes as spinning symbols that sometimes align as dollar signs.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • That level of control precluded a Vatican media operation from spinning tall tales as occurred during John Paul's reign.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Audiences may justifiably seethe at how Sutskever’s safety-first mindset gets steamrolled by Altman’s slick accelerationism (as happened in real life).
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • So, expect Liverpool fans to be seething inside and outside of Anfield.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Churn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churn. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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