curdle
verb (used with or without object)
to change into curd; coagulate; congeal.
had curdled
-
past perfectof curdle.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
The national innocence had curdled since his introduction, and so the hero himself couldn’t be such an innocent figure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 7, 2026
A decade in New York had promised stardom; by Christmas 2016, the promise had curdled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026
The relationship had curdled – she still wanted the engagement, but also resented it.
From Salon ● May 13, 2023
But some customers’ sauce is instead a pale pink and — maybe more concerning — chunky, as if it had curdled since packaging.
From The Verge ● Jul. 21, 2022
Ernie was looking rather grumpy; determined to outshine Harry for once, he had most rashly invented his own potion, which had curdled and formed a kind of purple dumpling at the bottom of his cauldron.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
