often attributive
1
: the yellowish part of milk containing from 18 to about 40 percent butterfat
2
a
: a food prepared with cream
b
: something having the consistency of cream
especially
: a usually emulsified medicinal or cosmetic preparation
3
: the choicest part : best
There were ten men in my boat, and they were the cream of Company L.—
Jack London
Jack LondonThey were still the cream of the crop, socially surpassing not only their constituents but also their colleagues in Congress.—Edmund S. Morgan
Edmund S. Morgan4
5
a
: a pale yellow
b
: a cream-colored animal
creamed; creaming; creams
1
: to form cream or a surface layer like the cream on standing milk
2
: to break into or cause something to break into a creamy froth
also
: to move like froth
1
a
b
: to remove (something choice) from an aggregate
she has creamed off her favorite stories from her earlier books—The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)2
: to furnish, prepare, or treat with cream
also
: to dress with a cream sauce
3
a
: to beat into a creamy froth
b
: to work or blend to the consistency of cream
cream butter and sugar together
c
: to cause to form a surface layer of or like cream
Synonyms
Examples of cream in a Sentence
Noun
Would you like some cream in your coffee?
hot chocolate with whipped cream
a chocolate candy with a vanilla cream center
The doctor prescribed a new cream for the rash.
a cabinet full of special creams and pills
Verb
Cream the butter and sugar, and then add the eggs.
the head-on collision creamed the brand-new car in an instant
Recent Examples on the Web
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
Residents can choose green or cream lacquer cabinetry and brass hardware is used throughout.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 21 Nov. 2024
Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 4 Nov. 2024
White, black, brown, and cream all pair well with a muted green color.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cream 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The rich gel-like cream absorbs instantly while leaving your skin feeling fresh and comfortable.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
Residents can choose green or cream lacquer cabinetry and brass hardware is used throughout.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
Use it for everything from creaming butter and sugar to making creamy dips to whipping egg whites into meringues.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 4 Nov. 2024
White, black, brown, and cream all pair well with a muted green color.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cream
Dictionary Entries Near cream
Cite this Entry
“Cream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cream. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cream
1 of 2 noun1
: the yellowish part of milk containing butterfat
2
a
: a food prepared with cream
cream soup
b
: something having about the same thickness as cream
hand cream
3
: the best part
the cream of the crop
4
: a pale yellow
cream
2 of 2 verb1
: to skim the cream from
2
: to put cream into
cream tea
3
: to stir or blend until soft and smooth
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