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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Pebbles twitched, branches waggled, cholla wiggled, weeds erupted then dried up and died. Alina Hartounian, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026 How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 19 Apr. 2026 As the tomato plant grows, gently reposition branches through the cage openings to support their weight. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026 Be cautious of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to snapping and falling hazards. Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026 People may want to shake off the branches of trees within reach. Alan Gionet, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026 Each year, approximately a hundred senior officers from across all branches of the armed forces enroll in world-class courses of study at schools such as Harvard, Princeton, and Georgetown as part of the Senior Service College Fellows Program. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 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, 13 Apr. 2026 How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 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
  • Tropical trees including your mamey likely had their limbs and trunks totally frozen.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 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.
    Carter Braxton Worth, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Gazan journalists and media personnel continue to be posthumously identified as members of terrorist groups, highlighting the difficulty of distinguishing terror affiliates from civilians.
    Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The property has over a mile of frontage along the Fall River and controls the Spring and Lava creek tributaries.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Vast stretches of suburban concrete block its natural drainage, and thousands of homes have been built along its winding, sluggish tributaries.
    Dominic Boyer, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Homelessness continues to rise, basic infrastructure needs to be fixed or replaced and public safety departments need more resources.
    Rebecca Jones, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Measles crept into Utah and Arizona in June, with reports trickling into local health departments of patients coming to doctors and saying their children had just recovered from full-body rashes, and parents telling pediatricians that their whole family had just recovered from measles.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Symptoms differ from strokes caused by a blockage in the brain, as a spinal stroke causes pain in the neck or back that radiates through the limbs, muscle weakness or numbness, incontinence and loss of sensation, such as feeling touch or temperature changes.
    Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Jonathan Groff radiates from within.
    Sutton Foster, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • They’re kept incubated at a lower temperature than human cells — 18 degrees Celsius versus 37 degrees Celsius.
    Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
  • The findings challenge previous assumptions about how the brain integrates new cells and repairs itself.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Critics in the House Freedom Caucus argued against the bill on the grounds that government should not mandate how agencies spend their budgets.
    Julian Baron, Baltimore Sun, 19 Apr. 2026
  • And by the way, there’s a humanitarian component here as well in terms of fertilizer, food, and other aid agencies that need that open for the ongoing crises in Africa.
    NBC news, NBC news, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Most of them are solitary insects that live alone in underground burrows, hollow plant stems, or small nests built of mud and other debris.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Cut pothos stems just above leaf nodes, and use clean tools.
    Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Branches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branches. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

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