branches 1 of 2

Definition of branchesnext
plural of branch
1
as in limbs
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 affiliates
a local unit of an organization a bank with many neighborhood branches

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in tributaries
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 departments
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the two branches of the U.S. Congress

Synonyms & Similar Words

branches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of branch

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 branches
Noun
How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026 Trim Grass and Foliage Mow frequently to keep the lawn low, trim bushes back from the house, and cut the branches of low-hanging trees. Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 18 May 2026 Standing water and downed tree branches were reported in southwest suburban Joliet. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 May 2026 Unlike the open-country eagles many people picture soaring over cliffs or plains, harpies inhabit dense rainforests where visibility is limited, branches are tangled and maneuverability matters more than endurance. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 Wrap them around low-hanging branches or around the trunk. Hiranmayi Srinivasan, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026 How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines. Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 17 May 2026 The backstory The reception area features a massive, metal chandelier shaped like winding branches, representative of the flowers that grow here each spring. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026 The tree branches are also weakly attached to the trunks and prone to splitting apart during storms and harsh weather events, Zieche said. Jerry Wu, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
Verb
His demise, paired with the disappearance of mobster-type Nicky Caccimelio (Bobby Cannavale), sets the trio on the first phase of their adventures, which inevitably branches into fresh red herrings in customary Only Murders fashion. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for branches
Noun
  • Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 May 2026
  • Strong, deep-rooted, living hundreds of years and towering skyward even as their massive limbs reach out expansively, these trees evoke awe.
    Joseph Bonasia, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.
    Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 15 May 2026
  • Insider Gaming independently verified the email’s authenticity by having two separate affiliates forward it directly.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • With very few exceptions, an end was declared, not only to empires, but also to city-states, duchies, principalities, emirates, sultanates, caliphates, khanates, agencies, princely states, colonies, suzerains, dependencies, mandates, tributaries, condominia and protectorates.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • The company operates 17 hydropower facilities on the Snake River and its tributaries, and also buys hydropower seasonally from 68 small-scale projects across its service area, according to Bowlin.
    Angela Palermo May 7, Idaho Statesman, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • The platform is used by major international law firms and global corporate departments.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • Private retailers also do not have the same public disclosure requirements as police departments.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • But while others are outraged on his behalf, and the audience continues to litigate the show’s end, Colbert remains positive and radiates gratitude.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
  • His palpable belief in fatherhood as a life’s work radiates off the screen.
    Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Originally designed to target and wipe out cancer by reprogramming the patient’s immune cells, CAR T is now being offered to patients in hundreds of clinical trials for autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis, lupus, Graves’ disease, vasculitis, and many others.
    Amber Dance, ArsTechnica, 17 May 2026
  • Reverse charging allows the user to juice up other mobile gadgetry while out and about, and 33-W fast-charging is supported when the phone's cells need a boost.
    Paul Ridden May 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • With very few exceptions, an end was declared, not only to empires, but also to city-states, duchies, principalities, emirates, sultanates, caliphates, khanates, agencies, princely states, colonies, suzerains, dependencies, mandates, tributaries, condominia and protectorates.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised the coordinated response from local and regional law enforcement agencies, including the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Manor Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • This disease causes misshapen flowers that don’t open fully and strange-looking, thicker, thornier stems that can form red bunches of shoots and foliage on the ends.
    Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
  • The revenue boost stems mainly from taxes on high-income residents’ stock gains, which have soared with financial markets on the promise of AI.
    Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 14 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Branches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branches. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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