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
The Bulls couldn’t control the ball, forking over 20 turnovers.
—
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
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
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forking
Verb
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Since parting, Shabaka has performed mononymously as a solo flautist and Skinner joined members of Radiohead to form the offshoot band the Smile.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The different hair parting methods has sparked a generational debate online.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Analysts say the targeting of universities, and Iran’s threats of retaliation against academic institutions abroad, point to a widening conflict and potentially diverging objectives among the parties involved.—
Adam Pourahmadi,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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The survey demonstrated residents had diverging views on what McCarty’s ballot measure hoped to address.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One thing to keep in mind is that the bathrooms are open-concept, flowing into the bedroom and living area with no door separating the sink/vanity.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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And the optimization discipline to match it —Agentic Web Optimization — is already separating winners from the rest.—
Aviv Shamny,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The subsequent deterioration in embryos that had been in microgravity for up to 24 hours was likely due to negative effects the absence of gravity has on the processes taking place in the quickly dividing embryonic cells.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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Republicans are pushing to expel her from Congress, potentially dividing Democrats ahead of November midterm elections.—
Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Mar. 2026
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While Zendaya and Roach are clearly spreading the four-part superstition across multiple looks, brides have often incorporated the old, new, borrowed and blue into a single wedding day outfit.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forking. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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