churned

Churned is the past tense of churn, a verb with several related meanings. In a traditional sense, it describes the act of vigorously agitating a substance, especially cream, to bring about a separation of fat and liquid. The result is a dairy product such as churned butter.

In dairy production, churning is performed in a churn, which can be a wooden barrel or a modern mechanical device. The agitation disrupts emulsions, allowing butterfat to coalesce. When the process is complete, the fat is kneaded to remove remaining liquid and form butter.

In business and economics, churn is used to describe customer attrition. “Churned” customers are those who discontinue a service within a given period. The churn rate is calculated as the number of churned customers divided by the number of customers at the start of the period, often expressed as a percentage. Churn analysis helps assess customer retention and the impact on revenue. Subcategories include voluntary churn and involuntary churn, and, in subscription industries, revenue churn can also be considered.

In general usage, to churn something is to stir it vigorously, such as in cooking or manufacturing; churning can produce texture or mix components that would otherwise separate. The term is also used metaphorically to signify turbulence or rapid change.