plural churns
1
: a container in which cream is stirred or shaken to make butter
2
: a regular, quantifiable process or rate of change that occurs in a business over a period of time as existing customers are lost and new customers are added
The biggest problem they face is churn. Wireless providers lose an average of about 30% of their customers a year to competitors.—
Brian O'Reilly
Brian O'Reilly
also
: a similar process or rate of change involving loss and addition of employees, companies, etc.
The resulting employment churn—the average job tenure is now two years, and today's typical 32-year-old has held nine different jobs—means more risks as well as more opportunities to discover new paths. —Jamais Cascio
Jamais Cascio
churned; churning; churns
1
: to agitate (milk or cream) in a churn in order to make butter
The farmer churns his cream every day.
2
a
: to stir or agitate violently
an old stern-wheeler churning the muddy river
larger particles pound and churn the Moon's surface—E. M. Shoemaker
E. M. Shoemaker
b
: to make (something, such as foam) by so doing
3
of a stockbroker or brokerage
: to make (the account of a client) excessively active by frequent purchases and sales primarily in order to generate commissions
unscrupulous brokers may churn an account, trading frequently to generate high commissions—Mary Rowland
Mary Rowland1
: to work a churn (as in making butter)
2
a
: to produce, proceed with, or experience violent motion or agitation
her stomach was churning
churning legs
b
: to proceed by or as if by means of rotating members (such as wheels or propellers)
boats churning across the harbor
Synonyms
Examples of churn in a Sentence
Verb
The motorboats churned the water.
The water churned all around us.
The wheels began to slowly churn.
He showed them how to churn butter.
Recent Examples on the WebElainie Barraza, Orlando Sentinel, 7 July 2024
As that becomes more of the case, the media companies are thinking less about generating mass impressions and more about cultivating direct-to-consumer relationships and tamping down churn.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 July 2024
Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 9 July 2024
Boaters on Wednesday afternoon at Smith’s Cove on Lake Winnipesaukee noticed a motorboat going rogue, spiraling madly and churning up water.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for churn 
Noun
The storm’s churn in the Gulf is also producing dangerous coastal waves all the way to Florida’s panhandle with swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
—Elainie Barraza, Orlando Sentinel, 7 July 2024
As that becomes more of the case, the media companies are thinking less about generating mass impressions and more about cultivating direct-to-consumer relationships and tamping down churn.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 July 2024
Verb
Long before the presidential debate in June, NATO observers have been buzzing about efforts to ensure the alliance can stay the course through political headwinds churned up by changes in leadership.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 9 July 2024
Boaters on Wednesday afternoon at Smith’s Cove on Lake Winnipesaukee noticed a motorboat going rogue, spiraling madly and churning up water.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for churn
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'churn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near churn
Cite this Entry
“Churn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/churn. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
churn
1 of 2 noun
: a container in which milk or cream is stirred or shaken in making butter
churn
2 of 2 verb1
: to stir or shake in a churn (as in making butter)
2
a
: to stir or shake violently
the boat's propeller churning the water
b
: to produce, move with, or experience violent motion or agitation
her stomach was churning
churning legs
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share