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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

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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
The tree still stood, waiting, but no one visited, no one entered the world under her strong branches, her rustling leaves. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 Delays have occurred across all branches of the military, but the longest are at Air National Guard bases, which on average are set to hit cleanup milestones more than 30 years later than originally promised. — Austin Fast, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
Pink Beach on Komodo Island offers another relatively gentle snorkeling stop, with branching corals and sea fans frequented by parrotfish and anemonefish, among other species. — Sarah Bruning, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026 What’s next in the refresher battle Starbucks refreshers are already branching well beyond basic fruit-and-lemonade territory. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 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
  • Blue is a giant stick figure with what seems to be four limbs, standing on what might be one leg, while the other is lifted.
    — Scott Simon, NPR, 5 Sep. 2026
  • There are also the journalists, the athletes, and the kids who spend sunny days doing contact improv, which was invented at Oberlin, tangling their limbs in the grass outside the library.
    — Jesse Dougherty, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of limb
Noun
  • No Reds affiliate has won a title since the 2017 Pensacola Blue Wahoos shared the Southern League title with the Chattanooga Lookouts after the series was canceled as a result of Hurricane Irma.
    — C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Ajike spent the 2025-26 season as head of player development for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the G League affiliate of the Houston Rockets.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • Broad rivers formed by the gentle joining of their tributaries, too numerous to count.
    — Supriya Lopez Pillai, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Within the peninsula, the Killey River is a salmon-rich tributary to the Kenai River and runs are happening now, which attract bears.
    — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • At one point in the third quarter of South Carolina’s shutout win, athletic director Jeremiah Donati and other athletic department staffers were handing out free water bottles to fans.
    — Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • States are passing laws requiring their education departments to create such guidance; Maryland, Idaho, Oklahoma and Virginia all added new laws this year, reported K-12 Dive.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of department
Verb
  • Pidgeon radiates star power in Love Story, but Mulligan is one of the complicated hearts of the second season of Beef.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Andreas brings him to a rich guy’s place, where Luca catches the eye of a flamboyant coke-snorting crossdresser whose affect radiates malevolence.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of radiate
Noun
  • Researchers have proposed that ongoing or intermittent viral replication within sensory neurons is likely continuing to damage or kill these cells months after the virus reactivates.
    — Andrew Bubak, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026
  • That study measured a different protein, one found on inflammatory cells.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of cell
Noun
  • The relevant agencies in both countries are working to resolve the issues together and Israeli visitors to Thailand will receive official travel guidance asking them to respect Thai laws and culture, Teplitskiy said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
  • And if Muhammad has a good rookie year and Stevenson exits via free agency, Muhammad could move outside.
    — Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of agency
Verb
  • The intent was to stem the flow of older athletes coming into college sports now that athletes can be paid by their schools and make money through NIL deals.
    — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The run-up in inflation has stemmed primarily from a massive jump in gas prices, with oil tankers mostly unable to transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 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 17 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on branch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about branch

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