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.
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
Jake Allen, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
After not impressing in the leadership, Doohan was given the axe by Alpine in the first half of the season.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
Then there’s the plastic axe throwing, cornhole, Sauce Toss (a backyard-style hockey game), plus their own version of a Shot-Ski, a hockey stick with three shot glasses glued to it so friends can drink together.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 11 June 2025
That took a pole axe to farming, steel and autos among other sectors that depended on exporting or that competed with imports.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 11 May 2025
Toss in an uncaring government agent with an axe to grind.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 19 June 2025
Disney is swinging the axe again, laying off several hundred employees globally across multiple teams.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 2 June 2025
Clapton, who actually owned the instrument, and Harrison can be seen with the axe in a private songwriting session back in October 1968.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 20 May 2025
Listen to this article The San Diego police officer who shot and wounded a man allegedly armed with an axe in Pacific Beach was identified Wednesday.
—Christian Martinez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2025
Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 July 2025
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough axed a handful of changes from the Senate bill, including prohibiting coverage for non-citizens and barring funds for gender-affirming care.
—Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 29 June 2025
Cast members from Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino’s Étoile are sharing their complicated feelings over the classical ballet’s Prime Video cancellation, a show that was axed despite being given a two-season order.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 29 June 2025
Despite the mockumentary being a critical darling, the premium cable network axed the comedy series after one season.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 27 June 2025
But even the remote nation that cited Buddhist teachings as a reason for its tobacco ban has not been immune to outside influence and axed the majority of its ban in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic to stop smugglers which were spreading the disease.
—Katharina Buchholz, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Trump, however, says his administration may axe it.
—Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 26 June 2025
The star was supposed to play the mother to Ophelia Sage (Blake Lively), but was axed in the editing process.
—EW.com, 19 June 2025
The Supreme Court rejected Texas’s bid to axe federal approval of a nuclear waste storage facility, arguing the state did not have the right to bring its challenge in the first place.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 18 June 2025
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
The recreation facility, which Murphy will operate, will have a bar and kitchen as well as escape rooms, axe throwing, electronic darts and an outdoor ropes course.
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
After not impressing in the leadership, Doohan was given the axe by Alpine in the first half of the season.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
Then there’s the plastic axe throwing, cornhole, Sauce Toss (a backyard-style hockey game), plus their own version of a Shot-Ski, a hockey stick with three shot glasses glued to it so friends can drink together.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 11 June 2025
That took a pole axe to farming, steel and autos among other sectors that depended on exporting or that competed with imports.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 11 May 2025
Toss in an uncaring government agent with an axe to grind.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 19 June 2025
Disney is swinging the axe again, laying off several hundred employees globally across multiple teams.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 2 June 2025
Clapton, who actually owned the instrument, and Harrison can be seen with the axe in a private songwriting session back in October 1968.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 20 May 2025
Listen to this article The San Diego police officer who shot and wounded a man allegedly armed with an axe in Pacific Beach was identified Wednesday.
—Christian Martinez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2025
Verb
As companies like Netflix double down on unlimited PTO benefits, the boss of $11 billion fintech company, Bolt has just axed the policy altogether.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 July 2025
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough axed a handful of changes from the Senate bill, including prohibiting coverage for non-citizens and barring funds for gender-affirming care.
—Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 29 June 2025
Cast members from Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino’s Étoile are sharing their complicated feelings over the classical ballet’s Prime Video cancellation, a show that was axed despite being given a two-season order.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 29 June 2025
Despite the mockumentary being a critical darling, the premium cable network axed the comedy series after one season.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 27 June 2025
But even the remote nation that cited Buddhist teachings as a reason for its tobacco ban has not been immune to outside influence and axed the majority of its ban in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic to stop smugglers which were spreading the disease.
—Katharina Buchholz, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Trump, however, says his administration may axe it.
—Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 26 June 2025
The star was supposed to play the mother to Ophelia Sage (Blake Lively), but was axed in the editing process.
—EW.com, 19 June 2025
The Supreme Court rejected Texas’s bid to axe federal approval of a nuclear waste storage facility, arguing the state did not have the right to bring its challenge in the first place.
—Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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