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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Senate Bill 1047 would require the California Neurodegenerative Disease Registry, a branch of the California Department of Public Health, to collect data on FTD. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026 But the decision has sparked intense pushback from Ballantyne residents who view the Morrison branch as a vital community cornerstone. — Charlotte Observer, 4 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
  • Know Good’s performance were videos of 3D emojis with limbs chasing after flying dollar bills.
    — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Space tracking expert Bill Gray predicts an impact of 5,400 mph (8,700 kph) — seven times the speed of sound — near Einstein Crater on the moon’s sunlit western limb.
    — Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of limb
Noun
  • Groups backing Stevens spent more than $50 million, led by more than $30 million from AIPAC and its affiliates.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • He will be assigned to the Royals’ Class A affiliate in Columbia.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • 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
  • Chesapeake Bay tributaries are important spawning areas, producing between 70% and 90% of the coastwide population of striped bass.
    — Ken Perrotte, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • At Northwestern University, noncomputer science majors had interest in taking classes in the department even before ChatGPT launched in 2022, but sometimes there wasn’t enough room, said Samir Khuller, the chair for computer science.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • That was more than the budgets of a dozen state departments at the time, and about three times what Michigan paid for its entire state police force.
    — Mark Dee August 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of department
Verb
  • Everything on the premises radiates with July heat, from the bleachers surrounding the course to the DIY rig near the ticketbooth inveigling passersby to pull a string that sends a gout of fire into the air.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
  • His prose radiates an ecstatic pessimism, as if lit up from within by the relief of not having to sugarcoat things with comforting lies.
    — Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of radiate
Noun
  • Instead of relying solely on natural extracts, Reome works with biotech labs to recreate botanical molecules through processes like fermentation or plant cell cultures.
    — Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Jeyne Arryn doesn’t lock people in the dungeon but in sky cells.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of cell
Noun
  • The agency predicted strong winds, heavy rain and high waves in the Okinawa region through Sunday, urging residents in the area to stay indoors.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In many ways, staffers say, the shooting was a manifestation of an attack the agency was already feeling.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of agency
Verb
  • Returns on recent energy investments stem largely from short-term speculation rather than long-term fundamental analysis.
    — , CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Start the refreshing process by cutting 1 inch off your sunflowers’ stems and washing away residue on the ends with running water.
    — Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of stem

Phrases Containing branch

Browse Nearby Words

brambly
branch
branched
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Branch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branch. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on branch

Nglish: Translation of branch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about branch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All