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
  • Deirdre massaged my limbs while the cups went to work on my perpetually achy upper back.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
  • Gribbin was fitted with prosthetic limbs, quickly regained her ability to walk, returned to sports and got her driver’s license.
    Kim Chandler, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • 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.
    Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 26 June 2026
  • Eligible members of the party and affiliates would then vote for the leader using an electoral system that ranks the candidates.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • Rough weather rolled over the Colorado community of Evergreen on Wednesday night, swelling Bear Creek and tributaries and tossing debris and mud into homes and downtown.
    Alan Gionet, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • Supporters hail the move as bringing accountability and coherence — through the governor — to all the departments and agencies involved in education.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Cody Hess, an associate government program analyst for the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, said these differences in departments’ needs for in-person meetings make a sweeping return-to-office order unnecessary.
    Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 1 July 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
  • These synthetic cells could also pave the way to the past, to the origins of biology itself.
    Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 1 July 2026
  • It is stored in an inactive form in cells such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and immune system—acting as the body’s reserve bank, indicating how much iron is available for future use.
    Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Even though three public agencies conducted air monitoring, the picture is still murky.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • For advertisers and agencies worn down by years of incremental tooling, that is the difference between a feature and a step change.
    Phoena Pang, Forbes.com, 1 July 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 3 Jul. 2026.

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