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
However, every day the Treasury is still forking out billions of dollars to manage existing service payments to lenders.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 11 May 2026
The media and entertainment business has been forking over hefty sums to a wide range of leaders.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2026
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
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
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 11 May 2026
The media and entertainment business has been forking over hefty sums to a wide range of leaders.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forking
Verb
-
Obviously, when a team's division, some changes need to be made, and one of the first of those changes was parting ways with Berube.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
-
Pelinka is expected to add at least one assistant general manager while building out a pro scouting department that the Lakers haven’t had since parting ways with pro personnel man Ryan West in 2019.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
In markets, Asian stocks are diverging while European futures are pointing firmly lower.—
Katie Foley,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
The Strait of Hormuz closure and resulting gas price shocks became additional talking points for both sides, though from diverging perspectives.—
Chaewon Chung
April 29,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The event has been criticized as promoting Christian nationalism and obscuring the lines separating church and state.—
Chandelis Duster,
NPR,
17 May 2026
-
The nation’s tradition of separating church and state, however, was not on display.—
Tiffany Stanley,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Some look at wide areas of the sky to do surveys, while others pinpoint specific targets; some take images, while others take spectra, dividing the incoming light into different energies (or colors, wavelengths or frequencies, all of which are different terms for essentially the same thing).—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
-
This time, the administration is dividing more families by greater distances than before, by expelling parents without their children, en masse.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
-
Hantavirus misinformation is spreading fast.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forking. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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