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 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
Amazon is making a massive bet on AI this year, with the company forking over $100 million in capital expenditures in 2025.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 27 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
As the grand prize has climbed, so too has the number of participants forking over $2 per ticket for a chance to win the life-altering jackpot.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
By comparison, forking over what could be a mortgage payment in the form of rent each month is akin to throwing money away.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
Cats, while often viewed as aloof and independent, still need playtime, but before forking over hundreds of dollars for toys, one pet parent shared in a Reddit thread that some of the least expensive toys work out the best.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
The Dawn of Semipublic Schools Parents who are forking over hefty sums so that their children can attend a private school will likely soon find their schools are semipublic institutions subsidized by federal school choice dollars — and more expensive in the bargain.
—Marie Sapirie, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Amazon is making a massive bet on AI this year, with the company forking over $100 million in capital expenditures in 2025.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 27 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
As the grand prize has climbed, so too has the number of participants forking over $2 per ticket for a chance to win the life-altering jackpot.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
By comparison, forking over what could be a mortgage payment in the form of rent each month is akin to throwing money away.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025
Cats, while often viewed as aloof and independent, still need playtime, but before forking over hundreds of dollars for toys, one pet parent shared in a Reddit thread that some of the least expensive toys work out the best.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
The Dawn of Semipublic Schools Parents who are forking over hefty sums so that their children can attend a private school will likely soon find their schools are semipublic institutions subsidized by federal school choice dollars — and more expensive in the bargain.
—Marie Sapirie, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forking
Verb
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Daedone persuaded the swelling ranks of OM enthusiasts, givers and receivers alike, to join an experiment in communal living, gradually parting them from their wealth and autonomy.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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That was one guest’s parting words to another, after Tuesday night’s dinner for the inaugural Tom Wolfe Prizes for Fiction & Reportage at the Waverly Inn.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Consider a night out with friends, and the diverging consequences of buying a round of shots versus opening up Instagram.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
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Now, among residents aged 15 to 49, those rates are about 5% higher, a pattern that began diverging in the 2000s and has steadily widened.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Yet, asked specifically about the fine hairs separating the top three undefeated teams in this first ranking, Mack Rhoades, the committee chair and athletic director at Baylor, sounded like a man torn between numbers and gut feelings.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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To overcome the challenge, the scientists used state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms to sift through massive amounts of data, separating the elusive tWZ signal from background noise.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Where to Stay While Umbria isn’t massive, dividing your trip into at least two home bases is highly recommended to appreciate the region’s slower tempo.—
John Skelton,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Oct. 2025
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Sympodial orchids must be propagated by dividing them, not pruning or trimming them.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And in 2008, the site allowed users to create their own feeds—called subreddits—creating popular threads on topics like politics and science, but also spreading controversial content.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
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Animation is spreading to ever corner of Latin America.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forking. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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