churn rate

This term is primarily used in business, SaaS, and subscription-based industries to quantify customer attrition. It carries a negative connotation for a business, as a high churn rate indicates dissatisfaction or a failure to provide ongoing value, whereas a low churn rate suggests strong customer loyalty and product-market fit.

In a professional context, it is almost always paired with the word "rate" to specify the metric, though "churn" is often used as a shorthand noun in casual corporate jargon (e.g., "Our churn is too high"). It is distinct from "attrition," which can be natural or unplanned, while "churn" specifically emphasizes the loss of paying customers in a competitive market.