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
-
Wilson gave it soft yet sculptural waves that conveyed the retro 1920s and 1930s theme of the night, deeply parting it to the side to give it some extra drama.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Before the preliminary hearing was over, Trevino had parting words for Riera.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The firms had argued the orders unconstitutionally punished them for diverging with the administration and for upholding their clients' right to legal counsel.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Their genetics, as this new discovery shows, have been quietly diverging even when their bodies haven’t.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The line separating the two is blurry, as both star types experience winds and ejecta before dying.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Mar. 2026
-
While Trump officials say the current deportation surge is succeeding in rooting out dangerous criminals, immigrant advocates have decried the crackdown for separating families and sending people back to countries where their lives may be in danger.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The median offers a more accurate view of what's happening in a market than the average sales price, which would mean taking the sum of all sales prices then dividing by the number of homes sold.—
USA TODAY Network,
Florida Times-Union,
7 Mar. 2026
-
In this one, the death of a young woman ends up dividing its citizens, stoking rumors and accusations.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On Saturday, March 7, demonstrations will be held in cities nationwide, pushing for people of all walks of life to stand together in protecting and spreading awareness for victims of human trafficking.—
Elaine Rojas-Castillo,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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The arrangement did not prevent rumors from spreading, however, and becoming a major distraction for the department.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forking. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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