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
An almost complete goddess torso, identified as the Roman goddess of victory, includes wings, a palm branch, and a victory laurel. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 28 Sep. 2026 So far, the bank has opened 14 branches across 10 regional markets. — Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
Winterberry is a beautiful specimen tree during the winter months, featuring striking berry colors and a lovely branching habit. — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 10 Sep. 2026 That prose was wrangled into branching interactive readability by the skilled hand of narrative lead Mallory Littleton. — Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 8 Sep. 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
  • In southeastern Connecticut and eastern Long Island, New York, gusts could be almost as strong, potentially downing tree limbs and power lines.
    — Matthew Mulligan, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Established in 2015, the EAFF aims to help people with amputations or limb defects gain access to amputee soccer throughout Europe.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of limb
Noun
  • The deal also allows Samsung to leverage capabilities across its affiliates, spanning semiconductors and cooling systems to data center construction and batteries, as the group seeks to expand its role in the global AI infrastructure buildout.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • From there, the five networks distribute footage to their local station affiliates and paying subscribers, including The Washington Post, which is a digital subscriber.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • History of Belden Belden was built upon a tributary of the Feather River in the early 1900s, as the Western Pacific Railroad laid its tracks across Northern California.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The Middle Patuxent River runs through the property from north to south, fed by numerous tributary streams.
    — Susan Soldavin, Baltimore Sun, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • Lam said the label will stay contemporary and will be wholesaled at department and specialty stores.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The county has failed to provide evidence that the quarry owner’s reclamation plan wouldn’t substantially interfere with animals’ movement, wrote Kim Freeburn, an environmental program manager with the department.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of department
Verb
  • The jet carries 500,000 times the energy radiated by the sun and explains the mystery of how feeding black holes become such powerful cosmic particle accelerators and generate such high-energy gamma-ray photons.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Or, for that matter, whether the grandfather of the Reality-Vigilante-TV Industrial Complex ever felt the level of fear and self-loathing that radiates off Pattinson’s human-flop-sweat of a portrayal.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of radiate
Noun
  • In a new study, researchers at New York University built a custom random-positioning machine that continually changed the orientation of human cells relative to Earth's gravity.
    — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Also running is Northwestern University stem-cell researcher Angel Alvarez, 46, who has been an advocate within CPS for better serving students with disabilities.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of cell
Noun
  • In 2013 the agency issued a rule saying the exclusion should apply only when an orphan drug is actually used for the rare condition it was designated for.
    — John Mildenberger, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In addition, only officers who have completed one of five specific agency training courses can conduct vehicle stops.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of agency
Verb
  • Keep the paper bags 2 to 3 inches away from the base of plant stems and tree trunks to prevent moisture buildup and rot.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the White House is attempting to stem the political bloodletting, particularly in these red states, amid discussions regarding diesel export restrictions after a beef tariff suspension announcement in August.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 26 Sep. 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 2 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on branch

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 heterodox

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
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
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All