1
: an implement with two or more prongs used especially for taking up (as in eating), pitching, or digging
2
: a forked part, tool, or piece of equipment
3
a
: a division into branches or the place where something divides into branches
b
4
: one of the branches into which something forks
5
: an attack by one chess piece (such as a knight) on two pieces simultaneously
forked; forking; forks
1
: to divide into two or more branches
where the road forks
2
a
: to use or work with a fork
b
: to turn into a fork
1
: to give the form of a fork to
forking her fingers
2
: to attack (two chessmen) simultaneously
3
: to raise, pitch, dig, or work with a fork
fork hay
4
: pay, contribute
—used with over, out, or up
had to fork over $5000
forker
noun
Examples of fork in a Sentence
Noun
a fork in the road
the north fork of the river
the front fork of a bicycle
Verb
The road forks to the north and south.
They forked the hay into the loft.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2025
The new suspension fork offers 50 mm of travel to help smooth out uneven terrain.
—New Atlas, 12 July 2025
Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 4 July 2025
But in my case that logic led down a path of potentially unnecessary tests and procedures, all of which cost money—not only to me, the patient forking over a co-pay, but also to the rest of the healthcare system.
—Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fork
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Gently stir with a fork to combine the ingredients.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2025
The new suspension fork offers 50 mm of travel to help smooth out uneven terrain.
—New Atlas, 12 July 2025
Verb
The Maroon 5 singer has revealed that Shelton tricked him into forking over $5,000 to secure a not-so-little miniature pig for his partner, Behati Prinsloo.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 4 July 2025
But in my case that logic led down a path of potentially unnecessary tests and procedures, all of which cost money—not only to me, the patient forking over a co-pay, but also to the rest of the healthcare system.
—Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fork
Cite this Entry
“Fork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fork. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fork
1 of 2 noun1
: a tool with two or more prongs used especially for taking up (as in eating), pitching, or digging
2
: a forked part or tool
3
a
: a dividing into branches or the place where something divides into branches
a fork in the road
b
: a branch of a fork
take the left fork
fork
2 of 2 verb1
: to divide into two or more branches
the road forks
2
: to raise or pitch with a fork
fork hay
3
: to give the form of a fork to
forked her fingers
4
: pay entry 1 sense 2, contribute
had to fork over $100
forker
noun
Medical Definition
fork
noun1
: a forked part, tool, or piece of equipment see tuning fork
2
: the lower part of the human body where the legs diverge from the trunk usually including the legs
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