branches 1 of 2

Definition of branchesnext
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
How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026 Consider shopping around online, then, as online banks and lending institutions tend to offer more competitive rates on these accounts compared to what banks with physical branches often do. Matt Richardson, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026 The law provides for oversight of state executive agencies and their actions by the legislative and judicial branches. Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 30 Mar. 2026 Be cautious of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to snapping and falling hazards. Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026 This individual's brain – their hippocampus, specifically – looks like a tree, arteries stretching out like branches. David Oliver, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026 This is the Rangers’ hope, that the next wave of pitching will also benefit from the pair of aces so that the pitching tree sprouts branches. Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 23 Mar. 2026 In addition to opening new stores, Ross is working to streamline the shopping process by better organizing its stores and adding self-checkout at more branches. Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026 The proposal, which Emanuel shared with The Associated Press, would apply to leaders and employees across the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government. ABC News, 22 Mar. 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
  • Then, without warning, colors start rippling across its skin — flashes of deep crimson, bursts of mottled brown, rapid shifts in texture — while its eyes dart and its limbs twitch.
    Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
  • However, no tree limbs fell on his property during the storm.
    Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 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, 27 Mar. 2026
  • By contrast, Carr said numerous ABC affiliates in Texas had submitted the proper filing.
    BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Instead, year-round rain and snow feed the Salt River and its tributaries.
    Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
  • And in Colorado, all 13 of the state’s Gold Medal trout streams are fed by tributaries flowing from roadless areas.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • About 15 residents attended the budget town hall meeting with council member Lorie Blair, and the majority of their questions centered on how the city budget works, how departments get funded and how residents could get more involved in the budget process.
    Devyani Chhetri, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Democrats refused to fund those departments without changes to immigration enforcement practices.
    Kevin Freking, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • His playing radiates warmth and emotion, capable of moving listeners to tears or filling a room with heartfelt passion.
    Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Among the most notable is Teatro del Bíobío, a performing arts venue in the city of Concepción that, by night, radiates warm light through a semi-translucent facade like a paper lantern.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In addition, for almost two years, his wife, Deltah, drove Henard to Childress every Tuesday for infusions of Keytruda, an immune checkpoint inhibitor used to prevent recurrence of disease by attacking stray cancer cells that may still be circulating in the body.
    Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The hybrid system outperformed the algorithm running on its own—suggesting that the biological cells were contributing to the learning process.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Emergency teams were deployed immediately to contain damage and maintain operations, while authorities coordinated with security agencies to secure the site.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
  • This wasn’t surprising, given that intelligence agencies compartmentalize information about sensitive operations.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The armored one skirts stems, mushrooms, and sleeping crickets before sinking her mandibles into the fallen leaf of a hydrangea.
    María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
  • That’s not to defend his piece but rather to consider the context from which all his work stems.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Branches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branches. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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