churning
Americannoun
-
the quantity of butter churned at any one time
-
the act, process, or effect of someone or something that churns
Etymology
Origin of churning
First recorded in 1400–50, churning is from the late Middle English word chyrnynge. See churn, -ing 1
Explanation
Use the adjective churning to describe a liquid that's being powerfully moved around. A boat on a churning lake will be tossed around on its surface. A churning sea is the result of a violent storm that blows against the water and produces large waves. You could even describe your churning stomach when you're incredibly nervous about giving a speech or making a presentation. In either case, there's an intense kind of agitation going on. The root of churning is the Old English cyrin, related to cyrnel, or "kernel," which describes the way churned cream looks grainy or gritty.
Vocabulary lists containing churning
Number the Stars
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Boy: Tales of Childhood
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"The Witches" by Roald Dahl, Chapters 1–5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A club night dedicated to a niche, harsh subgenre of music would be lucky to last three years in a churning city like Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
In a more confident, profitable environment, or when Hollywood is churning out films more regularly, a commercial dud might be easily absorbed.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
The country is now churning out high-quality snooker competitors.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Universities have also tied prestige and funding to publishing metrics: grant dollars, rankings, and internal performance systems for researchers all depend on churning out work.
From Slate • May 3, 2026
Between flashes, the churning white water of the ships’ wakes was clearly visible against the black sea.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
