BRANCHES Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

branches 1 of 2

noun

plural of branch

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

as in affiliates

a local unit of an organization a bank with many neighborhood branches

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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

as in departments

a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the two branches of the U.S. Congress

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branches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of branch

as in radiates

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 branches

Noun

When cutting them back in the fall for the winter, leave a few branches for wildlife to use for protection, but be sure to remove all of the dead branches to reduce the risk of diseases. — Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026 By comparing genomes representing all groups of bacteria and archaea, Martin and his colleagues found that these two branches of life shared common genes for about half of the enzymes needed for these basic reactions. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 Pain-sensitive nerve endings surrounding the palate’s blood vessels activate branches of the trigeminal nerve, the major cranial nerve that carries sensory information about pain, touch, and temperature from the face and head to the brain. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 Designed to resemble bougainvillea flowers, the basket is made up of 12 branches constructed with a blend of plastic and silk that won’t fade or become damaged when exposed to the elements. — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026 At first glance, corals present as little more than colorful rocks — piles of lobes, stalagmites, and branches poking out from the seafloor. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026 At the time, TD Bank noted that at least 25% of the new branches in the city would be located in majority-minority or low-to-moderate-income areas. — Chase Jordan july 31, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026 Putnam And Leadership Functionalism, and the vast majority of Putnam’s ideas, belong to the realm of analytic philosophy, one of the two major branches of 20th-century philosophy, along with continental philosophy. — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Loki built an entire series around the TVA, the bureaucracy tasked with policing different timeline branches. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 31 July 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 three towns have been without power since the late Tuesday morning storm because trees, limbs and power lines are down everywhere.

— Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Fifty-year-old oak trees were ripped from the roots, and debris was scattered everywhere from broken tree limbs.

— Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of limbs

Noun

Today’s platforms, technologies and revenue shares are vastly different but the need for affiliates to distribute your content to as broad an audience as possible hasn’t changed.

— Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
As such, states have an incentive to vouch for the strictest possible rules regarding affiliates.

— Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of affiliates

Noun

When large streams are elongated, more of the shorter tributaries can share those major channels, and this reduces the overall transport cost.

— Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
Presidio is protected by a series of berms and levees built in the 1970s and 1980s along the Rio Grande and tributaries to combat flooding.

— Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of tributaries

Verb

Clad in a sleeveless bright green dress, Anderson, 57, radiates an ageless grace, undeniably sophisticated yet unpretentious in her demeanor.

— Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Everything on the premises radiates with July heat, from the bleachers surrounding the course to the DIY rig near the ticketbooth inveigling passersby to pull a string that sends a gout of fire into the air.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of radiates

Noun

What’s more, his blood still contains T-cells that hunt down PRAME, suggesting that his body may now be able to eliminate further recurrences.

— Veronique Greenwood, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
As proteins are naturally broken down, small pieces are carried to the cell surface by surface display proteins, allowing immune cells to inspect them.

— William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of cells

Noun

Amy Tucci, president of the Hospice Foundation of America, noted that some agencies provide extra therapy, aide support, and other services.

— Kim Clark, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
The settlement will be paid by Hyundai Mobis, Kia and local staffing and recruitment agencies that helped find and bring the immigrant workers to Georgia on temporary visas.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026