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

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Relevance
2
as in affiliates
a local unit of an organization a bank with many neighborhood branches

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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

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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
The deal adds more than 350 bank branches to Fifth Third's almost 1,100 locations. Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Oct. 2025 Prune lightly for shaping and to remove any dead or damaged branches. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025 The 26-foot-tall bronze sculpture depicts a male figure that transforms into tree branches housing various bird species. Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025 Instead, consider foraging for greenery and branches from your yard for a beautiful, no-cost solution, Reinhard says. Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2025 Sticky snow covered the branches, along with occasional yellow dots of llao llao, an edible fungus native to the region. Scott Yorko, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2025 There are also different types of branches to choose from, including spruce and fraser fir. Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025 Then think of a tree with strong, thick roots and big branches. Soph Warnes, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025 In it, bamboo shoots weave through branches of peonies and delicate blossoms while birds and butterflies drift overhead. Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025
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
  • That Sutton whipped out his limbs like Stretch Armstrong and hauled in the dart for a modest 5-yard gain seemed only like a harbinger in hindsight.
    Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The bottom of the limbs are also pink with brown bands on the upper skin, according to the study.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The letter asked Carr to disclose any communications between the FCC and ABC, Disney or its affiliates about the Kimmel show, as well as any communications with the White House.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Check your local listing for CBS affiliates.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • China’s rule over Tibet, Qinghai, and Xinjiang dates back to the Qing dynasty, which conquered some former Ming tributaries in northwestern China and Central Asia and reorganized them as new provinces.
    David C. Kang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2025
  • After about two more decades of ice retreat, two tributaries to the north and south of the Alsek Glacier ceased feeding ice to the glacier, NASA reported.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The budget pressures departments to have state employees return to their offices instead of working at home as many have done since the 2020 pandemic.
    Paul Egan, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Now, three days into the federal government showdown, California departments are also using their homepages to cast blame.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The series radiates warmth, celebrates flawed but generally well-meaning people—particularly men—coming together to learn how to show themselves and those around them the love everyone deserves.
    Judy Berman, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The look radiates warmth and softness.
    Grace McCarty, Glamour, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Parents who carry certain gene mutations (changes in genes that affect how cells grow) can pass them down to their children.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Flavonoids have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that can help protect cells, blood vessels, and muscles over time.
    Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Gaza is decimated In Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry says more than 66,000 people have been killed − about half of them women and children − and humanitarian agencies now warn of famine.
    Susan Page, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
  • In November, researchers will head to the remote island of Nikumaroro, which is halfway between Australia and Hawaii, according to a joint press release from the two agencies.
    Ashley J. DiMella, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Clematis climbs by wrapping its short leaf stems around support structures and may initially require a string or wire to climb.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Elliott’s relationship with Eschenbach stems back over a decade to his prior role as president and COO of VMware, where Elliott was a very active shareholder.
    Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Branches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branches. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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