churn
Americannoun
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a container or machine in which cream or milk is agitated to make butter.
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any of various containers or machines similar in shape or action to a butter churn, as a device for mixing beverages.
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British. a large milk can.
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an act of churning stocks by a stockbroker.
verb (used with object)
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to agitate in order to make into butter.
to churn cream.
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to make (butter) by the agitation of cream.
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to shake or agitate with violence or continued motion.
The storm churned the sea.
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to turn over and over in the mind.
His brain slowly churned all the choices and possibilities.
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(of a stockbroker) to trade (a customer's securities) excessively in order to earn more in commissions.
verb (used without object)
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to operate a churn.
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to move or shake in agitation, as a liquid or any loose matter.
The leaves churned along the ground.
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to be changing rapidly or be in a confused state.
Her emotions churned as she viewed the horrific photos.
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to have a queasy feeling, as from anxiety or disgust.
My insides were churning at the thought of being on stage.
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(of a stockbroker) to engage in the practice of churning.
verb phrase
noun
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a large container for milk
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a vessel or machine in which cream or whole milk is vigorously agitated to produce butter
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any similar device
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the number of customers who switch from one supplier to another
verb
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to stir or agitate (milk or cream) in order to make butter
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to make (butter) by this process
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(sometimes foll by up) to move or cause to move with agitation
ideas churned in his head
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(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
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(of a government) to pay benefits to a wide category of people and claw it back by taxation from the well off
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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
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 churn is especially pronounced in small firms, where favoritism is hard to hide and easy to resent.
A loud explosion shook apartment buildings, and a thick column of smoke churned from an impact site near fancy hotels along the Palm’s trunk.
Pandemics and health disasters have ripple effects that churn through generations.
From Salon
Stocks have churned through the first two months of 2026, but the market has made little headway as investors grapple with the future of the AI trade, tariffs, interest rates, and more.
From Barron's
“As a result, we saw a higher churn within our customer base as a result of loss of market share.”
From MarketWatch
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.
