WordLens

curdle

1 of 1verb
/ˈkɝdəl/
Forms:curdles,curdling,curdled,curdled
1

turn into curds

Synonyms:
Antonyms:
2

to cause or undergo the separation of a liquid, often milk, into solid curds

  • Adding lemon juice to warm milk will curdle it, resulting in the formation of cheese curds.
  • Be careful not to let the soup boil vigorously, as it may curdle due to the high heat.
  • The recipe calls for buttermilk to curdle with baking soda, creating a light and fluffy texture in the pancakes.
  • If the custard starts to curdle while cooking, immediately remove it from the heat and whisk vigorously to salvage the texture.
  • The chef accidentally curdled the sauce by adding the lemon juice too quickly, but was able to salvage it by straining out the curds.
3

to become sour or turn into curds, often due to the action of acid or bacterial fermentation

  • The milk will curdle if it’s left out of the fridge for too long.
  • The cream began to curdle when it was heated too quickly.
  • Adding lemon juice to the soup caused it to curdle and spoil.
  • The recipe warned that the batter might curdle if the eggs were too cold.
  • The old yogurt had curdled, showing signs of having gone bad.