branches 1 of 2

plural of branch
1
as in limbs
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 affiliates
a local unit of an organization a bank with many neighborhood branches

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in tributaries
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 departments
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the two branches of the U.S. Congress

Synonyms & Similar Words

branches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of branch

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 branches
Noun
Photos also showed the bees crowding on nearby trees, weighing down on some tree limbs and branches. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 June 2026 Prune indeterminate tomatoes by removing the suckers, the small shoots between the main stem and side branches. Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 22 June 2026 Trees and branches were taken out, and live wires went down. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026 This past legislative session, bills were introduced to provide significant support and protection for LGBTQ+ people in the state, especially transgender people, who have been subjected to relentless attack from all three branches of the federal government over the past year and half. Matthew Blinstrubas, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026 This has nothing to do with aesthetics—clearing out things like branches and bushes helps prevent any blockages or overcrowding. Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 21 June 2026 In February 2026, the board approved a bylaws amendment that ensures equity in board representation among branches. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 June 2026 To stagger the terms, governors in those three branches were elected this year to one-, two- or three-year terms, with the process reverting to the standard one-governor-per-branch, three-year cycle in 2027. Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 June 2026 Using chippers to grind up vegetation removed during firefighting, including branches and trees. Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Verb
His demise, paired with the disappearance of mobster-type Nicky Caccimelio (Bobby Cannavale), sets the trio on the first phase of their adventures, which inevitably branches into fresh red herrings in customary Only Murders fashion. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for branches
Noun
  • The devices can make toys, prosthetic limbs and even airplane parts.
    David A. Lieb, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • And in late 2025, Grady took on Meta (formerly called Facebook), including its affiliates Instagram and Whatsapp, for allowing fraudulent Chinese investment scams on its platforms.
    Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 18 June 2026
  • All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.
    Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • The property features over a mile of frontage along Fall River and controls two of the river’s primary spring-fed tributaries — Spring Creek and Lava Creek, according to Hall and Hall.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026
  • For more precise information, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, a nonprofit that helps protect and restore the water quality of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers and their surrounding watersheds, samples the rivers and tributaries weekly each summer as part of its Swim Guide program.
    Daniel Bain, The Conversation, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • The declaration activates the city’s emergency response structure, directs departments to assess damages and costs, and requests state assistance to support firefighting, cleanup, environmental monitoring and community recovery efforts.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • With the rolling back of sustainability reporting requirements, businesses also downsized their sustainability teams, often rolling them under existing departments with limited scope.
    Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • This way, the whole surface area of each droplet radiates away heat.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 11 June 2026
  • The field absorbs solar radiation from the sun and radiates that heat back onto the pitch.
    Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • The concept of producing electricity from ion movement is not new, and as Kim explained, electric eels use a similar principle in nature, generating electrical bursts by controlling ion flow across specialized cells known as electrocytes.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 21 June 2026
  • Adding an exfoliant to your summer skin care routine can help smooth texture, clear the buildup of dead skin cells, and brighten dark spots.
    Irene Richardson, InStyle, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • Responding agencies include the Ada County Sheriff’s Office and Kuna Fire and Paramedics.
    Emily Carmela Nelson, Idaho Statesman, 22 June 2026
  • Since Pulte's selection, Democrats have declined to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which grants intelligence agencies broad authority to spy on overseas targets, causing the legal provision to expire earlier this month.
    Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • Each 60-inch cage supports tomato plant stems, and trains them to grow vertically for the highest yield.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2026
  • Users can mix tracks right in the app or export the individual stems directly to a computer DAW or video editor.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Branches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branches. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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