churn

American  

[churn] / tʃɜrn /

noun

1. a container or machine in which cream or milk is agitated to make butter.

2. any of various containers or machines similar in shape or action to a butter churn, as a device for mixing beverages.

3. British. a large milk can.

4. an act of churning stocks by a stockbroker.

5. churn rate.

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verb (used with object)

1. to agitate in order to make into butter.

   to churn cream.

2. to make (butter) by the agitation of cream.

3. to shake or agitate with violence or continued motion.

   The storm churned the sea.

   Synonyms:

   convulse, toss, whip

4. to turn over and over in the mind.

   His brain slowly churned all the choices and possibilities.

5. (of a stockbroker) to trade (a customer's securities) excessively in order to earn more in commissions.

verb (used without object)

1. to operate a churn.

2. to move or shake in agitation, as a liquid or any loose matter.

   The leaves churned along the ground.

3. to be changing rapidly or be in a confused state.

   Her emotions churned as she viewed the horrific photos.

4. to have a queasy feeling, as from anxiety or disgust.

   My insides were churning at the thought of being on stage.

5. (of a stockbroker) to engage in the practice of churning.

verb phrase

1. churn out to produce mechanically, hurriedly, or routinely.

   He was hired to churn out verses for greeting cards.

churn British  

/ tʃɜːn /

noun

1. a large container for milk

2. a vessel or machine in which cream or whole milk is vigorously agitated to produce butter

3. any similar device

4. the number of customers who switch from one supplier to another

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verb

1. 1. to stir or agitate (milk or cream) in order to make butter

   2. to make (butter) by this process

2. (sometimes foll by up) to move or cause to move with agitation

   ideas churned in his head

3. (of a bank, broker, etc) to encourage an investor or policyholder to change investments, endowment policies, etc, to increase commissions at the client's expense

4. (of a government) to pay benefits to a wide category of people and claw it back by taxation from the well off

5. to promote the turnover of existing subscribers leasing, and new subscribers joining, a cable television system or mobile phone company

Other Word Forms

• churnability
  noun
• churnable
  adjective
• churner
  noun
• unchurn
  verb (used with object)
• unchurned
  adjective
• well-churned
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of churn

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun chirne, cherne, Old English cyrne cyr(i)n; cognate with Middle Low German kerne, Old Norse kjarni, kirna

Explanation

A churn is a container that you fill with cream and then agitate until the cream becomes butter. You may have only bought butter at the store, but your ancestors probably used a traditional plunger-type churn to make their own. The verb churn means to mix cream until it turns into butter, separating out the buttermilk. You can make your own butter by churning it in a jar if you don't have a churn, shaking heavy cream until it becomes solid. To churn can also simply mean to agitate, like a boat might churn in a turbulent ocean, or your stomach might churn with anxiety about your big test the next day.

Example Sentences

But political experts say it’s remarkable the degree to which they have used new technology to churn out a stream of outlandish, hyper-cinematic memes, creating buzz around his campaign and his message.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Another highlight was the growing adoption of its DashPass membership program, from a combination of improving sign-up rates and reduced churn, pointed out Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. expected “some churn at the beginning” but that the cease-fire holds.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

Monday produced an extraordinary political churn across India's south as well.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

It was “eerie … The entire mass began to ripple and churn up, without moving laterally.”

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Related Words

• boil
• bubble
• simmer
• swirl