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

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
How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025 Local forecast updates are issued by regional NWS branches via the agency’s website and social media channels. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025 The second postcard displays a tree that is bursting with coins, as if money is sprouting from the branches. Tope Folarin, The Atlantic, 8 Nov. 2025 The roots anchor in the soil, providing a firm foundation for stems, branches, and leaves. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Nov. 2025 Ghazzawi is best known for his Dubai beach club, Cove Beach, which expanded to Las Vegas in 2019 and has plans to open branches in California and Miami. Deena Sabry, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025 The permit allows for one tree up to 10 feet tall, plus an armload of branches and some pinecones. Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 7 Nov. 2025 In the six months since the bill’s last debate in parliament, more than 120,000 young adults have started smoking, claimed the letter, signed by the leaders of major hospitals, cancer charities, and branches of the National Health Service (NHS). Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025 Noise of trees crackling and sap hissing, branches thumping down, timber being dragged and chopped. Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 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
  • As passengers and crew plunged into the sea, their bodies instinctively redirected blood flow from their limbs to preserve vital organs.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The heavy snow will make many roads impassable and may produce power outages due to the weight of the snow on tree limbs and power lines.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Ripple, which is closely linked to the XRP cryptocurrency, said the funding round was led by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, affiliates of Citadel Securities, Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital, Brevan Howard, and Marshall Wace.
    Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Ripley believes his local ABC affiliates should still have their content, primarily news and sports, carried through to YouTube TV subscribers, regardless of Disney’s position.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • To date, this and other restoration efforts have helped to restore oyster reefs across nearly 1,800 acres in ten different tributaries to the bay.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The new pipeline route will cross more than 180 Lake Superior tributaries, raising environmental concerns for tribal and environmental groups.
    Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But because of the lack of structure, the coach is involved in decisions across many different areas and departments.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The degree of knowledge required to stand out in this field is so high that a few leaders, including Breguet, have spent more than three decades at their maisons, often cycling through various departments.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • This one radiates intrigue without trying, a cool blend of rhubarb, rose, and vetiver that reads sophisticated but spontaneous.
    Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Replace your traditional table runner with a DIY magnolia garland that radiates seasonal charm.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • This allows the cells to become drug resistant and difficult to kill using chemotherapy.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Per BrightOcular, potential complications include infections, high pressure in the eye, glaucoma, inflammation of the iris, swelling in the cornea, loss of cells around the cornea, deterioration of the iris and more.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • This week, the outlet also reported that Customs and Border Protection made a different facial recognition app, Mobile Identify, available on Google's app store for state and local law enforcement agencies that are deputized to work with ICE.
    Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The hotline does not solve these problems for callers, but 211 information specialists use the most current local information available to refer callers to service agencies that are most likely to have resources to help.
    Matthew W. Kreuter, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The Calm team worked with the film’s sound designer, Lee Salevan, and composer Bryce Dessner, utilizing the film’s sound stems and score cues overlaid with sections of dialogue from Bentley and Greg Kwedar’s script.
    Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Truhn, who retired from the State Department in 2013, told the Herald that the ‘Ndrangheta’s success in the region stems in part from its ability to provide services that local governments cannot.
    Karen Wang, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Branches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branches. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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