variants
or ax
plural axes
1
: a cutting tool that consists of a heavy edged head fixed to a handle with the edge parallel to the handle and that is used especially for felling trees and chopping and splitting wood
2
: a hammer with a sharp edge for dressing (see dress entry 1 sense 6e) or spalling stone
3
informal
a
: removal from office or release from employment : dismissal
—usually used with the
Employees with poor evaluations got the axe.
Trump quickly gave him the ax [=fired him] for his incompetence.—
Laura Petrecca
Laura Petrecca
b
: abrupt elimination or severe reduction of something
Unlimited expense accounts, signing bonuses, and office plants—all are getting the ax [=being cut or eliminated] thanks to corporate cost-cutting measures.—Amanda Hinnant
Amanda HinnantNo party was brave enough to offend its supporters by taking an axe to [=severely reducing] expenditure.—The Economist
The Economist4
slang
: any of several musical instruments (such as a guitar or a saxophone)
variants
or ax
axed; axing; axes
1
a
: to shape, dress (see dress entry 1 sense 6e), or trim with an axe
axe stone
b
: to chop, split, or sever with an axe
axe branches from a tree
2
informal
: to remove abruptly (as from employment or from a budget)
The TV program was axed from the new schedule.
Synonyms
Examples of axe in a Sentence
Noun
the company was hemorrhaging money, so 700 employees would soon be given the ax
Verb
The boss told him that he had been axed.
the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets
Recent Examples on the Web
Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 3 Jan. 2025
That moment — when Edward Norton as Pete Seeger looks pointedly at an axe during Dylan’s electric set at the Newport Folk Festival — did baffle people.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 25 Dec. 2024
Among the artifacts found at the site were 119 lances and spears, eight swords, five knives, three arrowheads, one axe, a bridle, fragments of a bugle, fragments of at least two oath rings and several bronze and iron objects that have not been identified yet, according to the press release.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
While Unilever is powering through a strategic overhaul, that doesn’t mean every small brand will face the axe.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 2 Dec. 2024
Next stop is axe throwing to represent Mel’s present as a farm-dwelling horse-owner.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Listen to this article A man accused of killing his wife with an axe in 2021 while their two young children were in their Ansonia home has been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Dec. 2024
Did Shannon, in addition to her tacky bridesmaid dress, bring along her axe?
—Peter Larsen, Orange County Register, 1 Nov. 2024
Popular on Variety Either way that Gilmour’s touring regimen might or might not turn out in years to come, the Intuit Dome was a fine place to be alive and living in the moment Friday, under the spell of a man who is very careful with that axe.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Oct. 2024
Ryan Morik, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
Jets owner Woody Johnson axed coach Robert Saleh in early October following a 2-3 start and fired GM Joe Douglas during the Week 12 bye.
—Tim Graham, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Net neutrality rules have been axed again, this time thanks to a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, The New York Times reports.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Jan. 2025
Both series were axed too soon, beloved by critics and audiences alike.
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Fairly Odder was axed in February, ahead of Paramount’s merger with Showtime.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 26 Dec. 2024
He's already reportedly axed a trade to the Houston Astros while the New York Yankees fell short of meeting the Cardinals' demands.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Traditional carmakers such as Ford and General Motors , on the other hand, face an uncertain outlook over the next one to two years with President-elect Donald Trump vowing to axe electric vehicle tax credits and impose tariffs, according to Deutsche.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
Schumer axed four judicial nominees in exchange for a path to passage for over a dozen judges through the end of the year.
—Stephen Neukam, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Even Seeger, Dylan’s mentor, can’t abide this revolution and threatens to cut the speakers’ wiring with an axe before being calmed by his wife.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 3 Jan. 2025
That moment — when Edward Norton as Pete Seeger looks pointedly at an axe during Dylan’s electric set at the Newport Folk Festival — did baffle people.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 25 Dec. 2024
Among the artifacts found at the site were 119 lances and spears, eight swords, five knives, three arrowheads, one axe, a bridle, fragments of a bugle, fragments of at least two oath rings and several bronze and iron objects that have not been identified yet, according to the press release.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
While Unilever is powering through a strategic overhaul, that doesn’t mean every small brand will face the axe.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 2 Dec. 2024
Next stop is axe throwing to represent Mel’s present as a farm-dwelling horse-owner.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Listen to this article A man accused of killing his wife with an axe in 2021 while their two young children were in their Ansonia home has been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Dec. 2024
Did Shannon, in addition to her tacky bridesmaid dress, bring along her axe?
—Peter Larsen, Orange County Register, 1 Nov. 2024
Popular on Variety Either way that Gilmour’s touring regimen might or might not turn out in years to come, the Intuit Dome was a fine place to be alive and living in the moment Friday, under the spell of a man who is very careful with that axe.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
But, after just one season, he was axed, and Gronk was not pleased.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
Jets owner Woody Johnson axed coach Robert Saleh in early October following a 2-3 start and fired GM Joe Douglas during the Week 12 bye.
—Tim Graham, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Net neutrality rules have been axed again, this time thanks to a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, The New York Times reports.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Jan. 2025
Both series were axed too soon, beloved by critics and audiences alike.
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Fairly Odder was axed in February, ahead of Paramount’s merger with Showtime.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 26 Dec. 2024
He's already reportedly axed a trade to the Houston Astros while the New York Yankees fell short of meeting the Cardinals' demands.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Traditional carmakers such as Ford and General Motors , on the other hand, face an uncertain outlook over the next one to two years with President-elect Donald Trump vowing to axe electric vehicle tax credits and impose tariffs, according to Deutsche.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
Schumer axed four judicial nominees in exchange for a path to passage for over a dozen judges through the end of the year.
—Stephen Neukam, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near axe
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025.
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