bough

Definition of boughnext
as in branch
a major outgrowth from the main stem of a woody plant a tree bough fell on my car during the windstorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 bough Spray the underside of the branches, focusing on the cut ends of the boughs, Hunter says, because that’s where the moisture can be absorbed the fastest. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Dec. 2025 Saturnalia, in honor of the sun god, Saturn, included decorating homes with evergreen boughs, wreaths and garlands to symbolize renewal. Scott Neuman, NPR, 17 Dec. 2025 Gleaming in the boughs were pearlescent apples. Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025 For example, forest scents have long been synonymous with winter and its holiday traditions, as Christmas trees, wreaths, and pine boughs signal calm and comfort during a season of rest. Paul Nicolaus, Outside, 22 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bough
Noun
  • After school, the siblings liked to climb in a willow that was in front of their home, hiding from their parents beneath the sweep of its branches.
    Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Only in a few of the paintings is the mark clearly discernible as the crooked branch of a tree.
    Ben Davis, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The victim, who has not been identified, suffered severe crushing injuries to his lower limbs after becoming trapped in a lifting system, local fire authorities told Reuters, citing eyewitness accounts.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Additional details shared via Reuters claimed the worker’s lower limbs were crushed in the collapse.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bough. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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