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
If branches of the tree containing a mutation of interest appear very flat, that possibly indicates rapid recent rise in the frequency of the mutation. — Ornob Alam, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 Even better, branches of the Hellman Institute are located worldwide. — Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
Moor describes how trees achieve remarkable longevity by continually branching. — Antonia Bowring, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026 Pencil Cactus Despite its branching shape, pencil cactus is a succulent that stores water in its stems, says Aviles. — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 28 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
  • Your deep veins run within the muscles of your arms and legs, carrying most of the blood returning from your limbs to your heart.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Once the machine has sucked in the shade-giving limbs and age-ringed trunk, a new development rises from the mulch.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 16 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
  • Salmon born in its tributaries migrate to the ocean, spend years feeding at sea, then return to spawn, linking villages like Rampart to the same waters where the pollock fleet fishes.
    — Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The team would be making camp at the confluence of the Barrancas and one of its tributaries.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • In January 2025, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch changed the department pursuit policy, barring cops from chasing after vehicles fleeing car stops unless a felony crime or a violent misdemeanor was committed.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The high amount of overtime at the mental health department is related mainly to nurses working at the state’s mental health hospitals, Whiting and Connecticut Valley Hospital, which are both in Middletown.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 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
  • Ronen Bar, former head of the agency commonly known as Shin Bet, demanded $965,000 in the suit filed Wednesday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Darrell Alexander, who runs composer agency Cool Music, sees working as an additional composer as the best entry point for anyone starting out.
    — Ben Croll, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of agency
Verb
  • Advertisement Give broccoli stems a chance Jonathan Deutsch has watched fellow cooks buy cases of broccoli, cut off the florets, and throw away the stems.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • At the request of a coalition of local governments, Central District Health announced Friday plans to spend the money on a mix of mapping, trapping and testing possible solutions to stem the spread of rodents through the county.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 16 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on branch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about branch

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