BRANCHES Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

branches 1 of 2

noun

plural of branch

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

as in affiliates

a local unit of an organization a bank with many neighborhood branches

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in departments

a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the two branches of the U.S. Congress

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branches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of branch

as in radiates

to extend outwards from or as if from a central point threads branched from the center of the spider web

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

So, will Wilde receive an invitation from both the acting and directing branches? — Clayton Davis, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 The incoming storm could damage porches, awnings, carports, sheds and unanchored mobile homes, and snap off large tree branches, posing a safety risk, the weather service office said. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 Grab some pruning shears and tidy up any branches that jut out of place or block pathways and important sightlines. — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2026 Taylor represents one of the many branches that’s continually sprouting from the Nick Saban coaching tree, having worked under the legendary coach at Alabama as a graduate assistant from 2007 to 2008. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 22 Sep. 2026 The branches are labelled with tentative letters, almost apologetically. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026 The two branches of his life no longer have to exist separately. — Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026 The teens' throats were cut, and a few branches were scattered over their bodies. — ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026 The branches and logs are then ground up and hauled out of town. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 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

According to The Better Menopause, eccrine glands on the palms and soles, along with the torso, limbs and face, produce a mostly watery sweat that cools the body and carries little smell.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2026
Regeneration trade-offs If some animals can regenerate their limbs, why can’t humans regenerate an arm or leg?

— Junsu Kang, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of limbs

Noun

DraftKings had provided more than $2 million to state problem-gambling councils and NCPG affiliates since 2022, according to a March 2025 company announcement.

— Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
This view is shared by several other exchange operators, which oppose the CFTC’s creation of granular rules meant to obstruct affiliates.

— Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of affiliates

Noun

The team would be making camp at the confluence of the Barrancas and one of its tributaries.

— Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
The Arapiuns flows into the Tapajos, one of the Amazon River’s major tributaries, across waterways so vast that navigating them can feel like crossing the open sea.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of tributaries

Noun

The allegations come after the California Department of Human Resources sent a notice in February 2022 outlining that departments cannot approve employee requests to regularly work from out-of-state locations.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Major athletics departments instead spend toward sameness, waging arms races to build lookalike weight rooms.

— Chris Park, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of departments

Noun

Most breast cancer cases in older women are estrogen-receptor positive (ER+), meaning that tumor cells have receptors that bind to estrogen and trigger cancer growth.

— Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Looking through small microscopes implanted in the mice’s heads, Patel’s team zoomed in on a particular subset of brain cells, called somatostatin neurons, as the animals reacted to the fox urine scent.

— Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of cells

Noun

The launch also comes as global agencies expand on the continent.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
The agencies did not immediately identify the exporters involved nor indicate whether any individuals or companies had been charged in the ongoing investigation.

— Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of agencies

Verb

The novel’s conceit stems in part from my attempt to grapple with my family’s and my own trauma and what constitutes truth.

— Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
After cutting open both stems and swapping the batteries between earbuds, iFixit noticed the buds could no longer be charged.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026