branch 1 of 2

noun

ˈbranch How to pronounce branch (audio)
Definition of branchnext
1
as in limb
a major outgrowth from the main stem of a woody plant I loved climbing among the branches of that old tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in affiliate
a local unit of an organization a bank with many neighborhood branches

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3
as in tributary
a stream that flows into a larger body of water the Blue Nile, the Atbara, and the White Nile are the three primary branches of the Nile River

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in department
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the two branches of the U.S. Congress

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branch

2 of 2

verb

as in to radiate
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point threads branched from the center of the spider web

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 branch
Noun
In the last decade, mussels have been released along both branches of the DuPage River, various tributaries and waterways. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 Textures feel nearly tangible, from the rough bark of the branch to the fine iridescence of the feathers. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
Multiply it across roughly a half-million setae per foot, each branching into hundreds of contact points, and the combined force is enough to let a gecko hang from a single toe or sprint upside down across a ceiling. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Hunnam — in his star-turning role as Jax Teller, a member and later president of SAMCRO — branched into film during the show’s final seasons. — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for branch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for branch
  1. limb
  2. affiliate
  3. tributary
  4. department
  5. radiate
  6. cell
  7. agency
  8. stem
Noun
  • The three towns have been without power since the late Tuesday morning storm because trees, limbs and power lines are down everywhere.
    — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Fifty-year-old oak trees were ripped from the roots, and debris was scattered everywhere from broken tree limbs.
    — Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of limb
Noun
  • Kubasik, who has served as CEO since 2021, resigned from the L3Harris board and all of its subsidiaries and affiliates.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Panettiere was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a Greenville, South Carolina, apartment complex Sunday afternoon, CNN affiliate WHNS reported, citing local police.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • Under that circumstance, big river basins would have the same proportions as the small river basins that feed the tributaries within them.
    — Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Presidio is protected by a series of berms and levees built in the 1970s and 1980s along the Rio Grande and tributaries to combat flooding.
    — Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • The department said the suspect remained at the scene and was taken into custody.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Her hiring came after allegations of a toxic and abusive culture within the department surfaced in a 2020 lawsuit filed by Jennifer Conviser, a sport psychologist who had consulted with DePaul’s athletic department from 2005 to 2018.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of department
Verb
  • The map shows other towers close by, each radiating a string that is fastened to the map when other towers radio in readings.
    — Robert Sullivan, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The scenes radiate the joy of being young, attractive, and filled with infinite free time and minimal distractions except the open sky above you.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of radiate
Noun
  • Chemical signals then travel between the colonies, allowing the cells to process information and perform logic operations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In essence, these medications – known as PDE-5 inhibitors – work by preventing the breakdown of a signaling molecule, which in turn helps relax smooth muscle cells and dilate blood vessels.
    — Will Stone, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of cell
Noun
  • But the agency’s independent vaccine advisers unanimously voted in June that the new vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risks.
    — Elise Haulund, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Bill Flood, a spokesman for DEEP, said the agency decided to commission a new population survey to help inform its ongoing conservation efforts and its work to mitigate conflicts between people and bears.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of agency
Verb
  • But greater scrutiny has not stemmed the flow of memories about Zhu.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The previous jump in food prices stemmed in part from a historic oil shock set off by the Iran war, which pushed up diesel costs.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of stem

Phrases Containing branch

Browse Nearby Words

brambly
branch
branched
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Cite this Entry

“Branch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branch. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on branch

Nglish: Translation of branch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about branch

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