bifurcates

verb

present tense third-person singular of bifurcate
as in subdivides
formal to undergo division into two parts The stream bifurcated into two narrow winding channels.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bifurcates While designing the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, in the 1990s, the architect would sit by the river that bifurcates the city, looking at different metal treatments. — Belinda Luscombe, Time, 6 Dec. 2025 For example, Highway 17 currently bifurcates a piece planners hope to lock in through Los Gatos. — San Francisco Chronicle, 30 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bifurcates
  1. divides
  2. separates
  3. splits
Verb
  • Peck divides proteins into one-pound portions in freezer bags, pressing out excess air before sealing.
    — Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 18 July 2026
  • Nolan divides the sacking of Troy into two lengthy sequences, both shot under cover of darkness but edited (by Jennifer Lame) with a magisterial clarity.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of divides
Verb
  • That choice, made consistently over time, is what separates organizations that talk about their values from organizations that actually live them.
    — Monte Wyatt, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • The utility separates projects in the pipeline into different categories depending on how far along the interconnection application is.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
Definition of separates
Verb
  • Eating out here splits between high-end fine dining and casual twists on Bajan classics.
    — Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026
  • The cookie dough balls are rolled in powdered sugar, which crackles and splits apart while the cookies puff and bake.
    — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 17 July 2026
Definition of splits

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Cite this Entry

“Bifurcates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bifurcates. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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