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

There will be genealogical resources available on site to learn about the branches of the Hale family tree. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026 Behind it, just beyond the tree’s tallest branches, is what looks like a backyard cafe with a large patio umbrella and homemade wooden furniture. — Lauren Ng, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 The branches and logs are then ground up and hauled out of town. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 The city’s other library branches also serve residents throughout Hialeah. — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026 And, for one entire episode, a gentle breeze rustles the branches of a weeping willow as an inaudible conversation takes place nearby. — Josh Gondelman, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2026 The bare branches remain dormant through winter and develop buds for next year’s blooms. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026 While tree services generally remove limbs from the property and grind up branches, cleanup efforts sometimes miss sticks, bark, and chunks of wood in the lawn. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2026 The tree still stood, waiting, but no one visited, no one entered the world under her strong branches, her rustling leaves. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 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

Males then use dedicated limbs called ovigers to grab the eggs, glue them to their own legs using secretions, then rear them on their own.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 23 Sep. 2026
Northeast winds of 30 to 40 mph could produce gusts of up to 50 mph, bringing down tree limbs, causing isolated power outages and making travel difficult, particularly for high-profile vehicles.

— Bridget Byrne, Baltimore Sun, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of limbs

Noun

New Balance alleged in the suit that Decathlon’s EU (European Union) affiliates have sold New Balance products bearing the ‘N’ marks for many years.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
That programming mix has changed significantly under Nexstar, a local TV giant that already owned the largest collection of CW affiliates before taking over the network.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of affiliates

Noun

While low flows continue to persist in sections of the Colorado River, cold tributaries, deeper-water refuges in narrow canyon reaches, and larger pools provide cool refuges for fish.

— Christa Swanson, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
The three principal rivers and their tributaries — the Los Angeles, the San Gabriel and Santa Ana — joined into an inland sea.

— Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of tributaries

Noun

The nationwide network is accessible to customers, which include police departments, and has been credited with helping solve crimes.

— Garrett Downs, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
Requests for comment were sent to the departments named as defendants in the wide-ranging lawsuit.

— Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of departments

Verb

Or, for that matter, whether the grandfather of the Reality-Vigilante-TV Industrial Complex ever felt the level of fear and self-loathing that radiates off Pattinson’s human-flop-sweat of a portrayal.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026
Keep in mind that heat still radiates from the bulb, so the lamp should sit on a stable surface away from paper, fabric or anything else that could scorch.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of radiates

Noun

By dividing the nervous system up early, cells inherit a developmental history that allows a limited number of signals to trigger a great deal of complexity.

— JOHN TIMMER, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026
The duo is juiced by a 113 kWh battery comprising 192 lithium-ion cells.

— Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of cells

Noun

The policy could have affected legally present immigrants, Temporary Protected Status holders and DACA recipients, while burdening underfunded agencies and deterring families from seeking help.

— Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Its systems locate radio-frequency signals for customers that include US defense and intelligence agencies.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026