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)
see also axe to grind
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
Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Attendees can experience pipers, dancing, animals, artisan craft vendors, axe throwing, archery, a medieval camp, children’s activities, food and drinks, athletics and more.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026
Officers were able to convince the man to drop the axe, and police entered the room.
—Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Several members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle, authorities said.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
Who’s next as Black Monday typically sees the axe fall?
—Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Matthew Ginnever, senior project manager at MOLA-Wessex Archaeology, said the most interesting finds included medieval kilns and fragile, ancient flints that include arrowheads and an axe head.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
While wedding traditions that don’t feel quite right are getting the axe, other details are getting more nostalgic.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
Firefighters pried part of the home open with an axe to douse the inside with water, the video shows.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
Tens of thousands of public health jobs axed.
—Jennifer W. Tsai, STAT, 18 Jan. 2026
The Anaconda star has no hard feelings over the sketch getting axed.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
In Maine where much of the line was constructed, the project faced heavy opposition and a 2021 referendum, during which voters elected to axe the project.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Other Illinois providers said their grants for training and prevention programs were being axed.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Mike McDaniel got axed after his fourth year with no playoff win.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2026
Dodge, still suffering the consequences of axing the popular previous generations of Charger and Challenger muscle cars, saw sales stumble down 28% compared with the previous year.
—Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Stellantis’ forays into EVs on this side of the pond have clearly not gone well, and with federal incentives and emissions targets being axed, the company has turned back hard into stuffing as many Hemis into vehicles that will fit them.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 7 Jan. 2026
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
Palm Springs was swapped for Barcelona as the setting of Alex's brother David's wedding, Banff became Squamish for the Canada camping trip, and a few other spots like Croatia and Iceland got the axe.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Attendees can experience pipers, dancing, animals, artisan craft vendors, axe throwing, archery, a medieval camp, children’s activities, food and drinks, athletics and more.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026
Officers were able to convince the man to drop the axe, and police entered the room.
—Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Several members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle, authorities said.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
Who’s next as Black Monday typically sees the axe fall?
—Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Matthew Ginnever, senior project manager at MOLA-Wessex Archaeology, said the most interesting finds included medieval kilns and fragile, ancient flints that include arrowheads and an axe head.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
While wedding traditions that don’t feel quite right are getting the axe, other details are getting more nostalgic.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
Firefighters pried part of the home open with an axe to douse the inside with water, the video shows.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Verb
Mass deporting migrants, brazenly axing federal grants and jobs, pursuing an inflationary trade war, risking the lives of soldiers to trouble the sovereignty of hemispheric neighbors—these things are shaking the everyday lives of Americans.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
Tens of thousands of public health jobs axed.
—Jennifer W. Tsai, STAT, 18 Jan. 2026
The Anaconda star has no hard feelings over the sketch getting axed.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
In Maine where much of the line was constructed, the project faced heavy opposition and a 2021 referendum, during which voters elected to axe the project.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Other Illinois providers said their grants for training and prevention programs were being axed.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Mike McDaniel got axed after his fourth year with no playoff win.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2026
Dodge, still suffering the consequences of axing the popular previous generations of Charger and Challenger muscle cars, saw sales stumble down 28% compared with the previous year.
—Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Stellantis’ forays into EVs on this side of the pond have clearly not gone well, and with federal incentives and emissions targets being axed, the company has turned back hard into stuffing as many Hemis into vehicles that will fit them.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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