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

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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
These businesses tended to follow a common model, with a large retail main shop, second-hand and antiquarian outlets and branches near colleges or hospitals. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026 And if this was any other branch, that would probably be true. — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
Through a particular sequence of such branching decisions, Waddington argued, cells specialize into their mature types, or fates, each expressing a particular set of genes. — Quanta Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026 Newer references now represent many different versions of the human genome through branching paths rather than forcing everyone’s DNA onto one template. — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 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 clear frontrunner was Chris Brown, a 16-year-old multi-threat from Virginia who sang, rapped, and danced like his limbs were made of gas-station inflatables.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The horses panicked after a tree limb fell and hit the side of the wagon, ranch officials said on social media Saturday.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of limb
Noun
  • For Shannon Marimón, executive director of ReadyCT, a CBIA affiliate that focuses on providing career pathways support to students across the state, the commission has a tremendous opportunity before it.
    — P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • During the pandemic, the shooter’s mother spoke with CNN affiliate KTVZ about her hopes that in-person classes would resume for children with special needs.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • One solution is to pay water users upstream, who draw from the same tributary rivers, to adopt conservation practices that let more water reach the lake.
    — Silvia Console Battilana, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The altitude offers incredible vistas of the wetlands that border the Tanana River, one of the largest tributaries of the mighty Yukon.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • To accommodate those patients who’ve been admitted but don’t have a room, the hospital has installed dozens of beds in what was once the emergency department’s waiting room and in adjacent spaces.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The local police department is conducting a criminal investigation into the events leading up to the collision and the actions of those involved, Kinnan said Wednesday.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of department
Verb
  • Some kids come into this life and catch all the breaks and start making money and going places and radiating confidence and functionality and the world opens right up to them.
    — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • For plants rooted in the ground, cover them with frost cloths, blankets, or tarps to trap the heat radiating from the soil.
    — Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of radiate
Noun
  • The wrinkle is that mitochondria live inside the cell and depend on it, so anything that improves their function will improve the cell, but anything that improves the cell will also improve them.
    — Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • These include immune amnesia, a type of immunosuppression in which the measles virus destroys immune cells and adaptive responses.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of cell
Noun
  • The Ebola outbreak that began in DR Congo is becoming a continental crisis after authorities initially underestimated its spread, the head of Africa’s public health agency told Semafor as new cases were reported as far afield as Nigeria.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Trump could direct federal agencies to adopt a different name for the Atlantic or Pacific.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of agency
Verb
  • McKinney touts the city attorney’s prosecutor role as a means to stem quality-of-life crimes and curb homelessness.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • At the request of a coalition of local governments, Central District Health announced Friday plans to spend up to $250,000 on a mix of mapping, trapping and testing possible solutions to stem the spread of rodents through the county.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about branch

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