branch 1 of 2

noun

ˈbranch How to pronounce branch (audio)
Definition of branchnext
1
as in limb
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 affiliate
a local unit of an organization a bank with many neighborhood branches

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in tributary
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 department
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the two branches of the U.S. Congress

Synonyms & Similar Words

branch

2 of 2

verb

as in to radiate
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point threads branched from the center of the spider web

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 branch
Noun
The Smithsonian Institution, which oversees twenty-one museums, among other establishments, operates independently from the executive branch of the government, which makes wresting control over it more difficult. — News Desk, Artforum, 15 July 2026 The robot successfully navigated university campuses, forest trails, grassy fields, rocky terrain, staircases, stepping stones, logs, gaps, and fallen branches. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
Verb
These trees have strong branching structures and enough space for students to safely learn different climbing techniques. — Sharon Jean-Philippe, The Conversation, 25 June 2026 The frequency of horizontal gene transfer means that, in addition to the neatly branching trees that relate species by common descent, there are small threads connecting distant branches of the tree of life. — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for branch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for branch
  1. limb
  2. affiliate
  3. tributary
  4. department
  5. radiate
  6. cell
  7. agency
  8. stem
Noun
  • The sisters’ collective upper limb development also suggests high-intensity, repetitive actions like holding a heavy weapon or pulling a bowstring.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 17 July 2026
  • Most of the participants have lost limbs to infections or traumatic injuries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 July 2026
Definition of limb
Noun
  • Landing Go Country as an affiliate adds extra excitement to the launch of the syndication deal.
    — Richard Wagoner, Daily News, 20 July 2026
  • The Blue Jackets have not had an ECHL affiliate since pairing with Kalamazoo during the 2022-23 season.
    — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • Irrigators and power plant operators can call water to their facilities from upstream reservoirs, like Green Mountain Reservoir, which is on the Blue River -- a tributary of the Colorado River -- north of Silverthorne.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 16 July 2026
  • Hazmat materials got dumped right into rivers and tributaries.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • And some legal experts are now questioning whether the department is playing politics in an unprecedented way with a high-profile criminal investigation.
    — Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • But the department still did other daytime road work around town and worked on I-285 in the overnight hours.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 19 July 2026
Definition of department
Verb
  • The spacecraft is due to launch in October and, if successful, will demonstrate the ability to radiate heat efficiently and run useful workloads for customers, Johnston said.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026
  • Besides, Beckham practically radiates the sort of star power that dispenses with the need for endless chatter; like Michael Jordan in his Hanes/Space Jam heyday, his physical presence takes precedent over the usual run of blunt-force loquacity.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of radiate
Noun
  • Your body naturally makes CoQ10, a vitamin-like antioxidant that supports energy production in your cells.
    — Sarah Garone, Health, 20 July 2026
  • Ordinary human color vision runs on three types of cone cells in the retina, each carrying a light-sensitive pigment tuned to a different band of wavelengths — roughly short (perceived as blue), medium (green) and long (red).
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of cell
Noun
  • As in previous days, the targets were largely in southern and coastal locations, including an area near a cancer hospital in Khuzestan province, Iran’s semi-official agency Mehr News said.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • If the two agencies can avoid repeating past regulatory disagreements and provide clear definitions, the harmonization will be a benefit for prediction markets, said Peter Chan, a Baker McKenzie partner and former SEC employee.
    — Ananya Chetia,Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 16 July 2026
Definition of agency
Verb
  • Court filings show the company’s financial strain stems largely from lease-guarantee exposure on defunct sister stores across the country.
    — Catherine Muccigrosso July 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026
  • To encourage healthy blooms, Kemery says to pinch back aster stems by a third once or twice in early summer, which helps keep them bushy instead of tall.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
Definition of stem

Phrases Containing branch

Browse Nearby Words

brambly
branch
branched
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Branch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branch. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on branch

Nglish: Translation of branch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about branch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All