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to branch out

to branch out

23 4.0
To try new activities or areas to grow what you do
  • phrasal verb
  • /brænʧ aʊt/
translation icon : incursionar en
  • The company decided to branch out by expanding its product line to include eco-friendly options.
  • branch out into new
  • branched out into new directions
  • branch out into other

And then it branches out from there to art, gender, and elsewhere.

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Examples

  • Genres I've branched out into include novels, short stories, and essays.

    Academic text (2010)
  • And then recently I've started feeling like branching out and being a little more sophisticated, a little more on trend.

  • And now these two will branch out a little bit more.

  • We need to branch out.

  • We should just branch out.

  • And after a while, we can branch out.

  • But I'm trying to branch out and do different things.

  • Others used the opportunity to branch out into new youth audiences.

    Academic text (2004)
  • "Good for you," she said, as if he had finally begun to branch out.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • However, where earlier generations stayed mostly on Broadway, he has branched out.

    Academic text (2006)

Synonyms

to broaden
vsto branch out
92 3.9

To make or become wider and include more things

concerns starting new activities or areas rather than only widening scope
to diversify
vsto branch out
63 5.3

To add different kinds of products or activities to reduce risk

focuses on expanding into new activities or areas for growth
to broaden horizons
vsto branch out
5 3.7

To learn new things and try new experiences

aims at starting new activities or expanding into new fields instead of learning
to spread your wings
vsto branch out
  • Informal
1 4.2

To start living on your own and try new things

focuses on expanding into new areas or businesses rather than early independence

Antonyms

208 4.3

To focus on one area of work or study and become an expert

129 3.5

Make a list of choices smaller until only a few remain

How Broad

to expand
805 2.5
to diversify
63 5.3
to branch out
23 4.0
to move into
439 1.0

Surface Forms

branch out infinitive
branched out past participle
branching out present participle
branches out third person singular

Morphology

branch + out

The sense 'to start doing something new or different' is a metaphorical extension of 'branch' (to split/diverge) combined with 'out' (outward), so the idea of diverging into new areas is reasonably derivable from the parts. However, this requires a figurative mapping from physical branching to business/activities and is not purely literal, so learners may need some inference or exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb branch out may come from the image of a tree: the trunk grows new branches that spread out into new areas. So when someone branches out, they 'start doing something new or different'.