as in parting
to go or move in different directions from a central point
the road forks up ahead and you'll want to take the right fork
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Recent Examples of forking
So The Abbey Inn, run by the same family, is a brilliant chance to experience the chef’s farm-to-fork experience without forking out for a tasting menu.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
National debt now exceeds $38 trillion, with the government forking out in excess of $270 billion in debt interest payments alone in the final three months of fiscal year 2025.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Cosco Shipping is forking over $7 billion to China State Shipbuilding to build out 87 new vessels, expanding on the company’s already swollen order book.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 12 Dec. 2025
All of a sudden, cutting into a pork chop during a desert picnic or forking a salad in the Inner Hebrides offers more value.
—Jillian Dara, Robb Report, 28 Nov. 2025
Critics, however, say the considerable costs have put pressure on AI to deliver stratospheric profits, but little evidence suggests businesses or everyday users will get enough value to warrant forking over a mountain of cash.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 28 Nov. 2025
So far, one of the losers appears to be OpenAI in a lawsuit from book authors, who have steadily been building a formidable case that may force the tech giant’s hand in forking over a big settlement ahead of trial.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
The partners are forking out $78 million for the IP with Angel’s portion of the investment at about $31 million in cash, its first big move since merging with a SPAC for a public listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
In the meantime, the eyes of NHL owners have strayed south of the border, where a handful of American markets have reportedly expressed interest in forking over expansion fees that could one day eclipse $2 billion.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
National debt now exceeds $38 trillion, with the government forking out in excess of $270 billion in debt interest payments alone in the final three months of fiscal year 2025.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Cosco Shipping is forking over $7 billion to China State Shipbuilding to build out 87 new vessels, expanding on the company’s already swollen order book.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 12 Dec. 2025
All of a sudden, cutting into a pork chop during a desert picnic or forking a salad in the Inner Hebrides offers more value.
—Jillian Dara, Robb Report, 28 Nov. 2025
Critics, however, say the considerable costs have put pressure on AI to deliver stratospheric profits, but little evidence suggests businesses or everyday users will get enough value to warrant forking over a mountain of cash.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 28 Nov. 2025
So far, one of the losers appears to be OpenAI in a lawsuit from book authors, who have steadily been building a formidable case that may force the tech giant’s hand in forking over a big settlement ahead of trial.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
The partners are forking out $78 million for the IP with Angel’s portion of the investment at about $31 million in cash, its first big move since merging with a SPAC for a public listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
In the meantime, the eyes of NHL owners have strayed south of the border, where a handful of American markets have reportedly expressed interest in forking over expansion fees that could one day eclipse $2 billion.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forking
Verb
-
Before the preliminary hearing was over, Trevino had parting words for Riera.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Zoom in through the dark clouds parting to reveal a figure falling face downward, clearly a female form in stiletto heels descending toward Earth.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Both countries are diverging on trade, too.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The visit underscored diverging narratives about the rebuilding process in Los Angeles.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Friday’s event was not the first time the President has delivered such overtly political remarks at military venues, testing the tradition of separating the armed forces from partisan politics.—
Nandika Chatterjee,
Time,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The field is tightly bunched, with just over a second separating the top 10.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cool the sauce quickly by dividing it into multiple shallow containers, and make sure to refrigerate within two hours of cooking.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Heating Degree Days are calculated by taking the day's high temperature and adding it to the day's low temperature, then dividing by 2 and subtracting that value from 65.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Measles is now spreading in Florida, with 68 cases reported in the state already this year.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Be generous when spreading the chocolate frosting on this one.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forking. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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