ax

1 of 2

noun

variant spelling of axe entry 1, axe entry 2

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

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

No party was brave enough to offend its supporters by taking an axe to [=severely reducing] expenditure.

—The Economist

4

slang : any of several musical instruments (such as a guitar or a saxophone)

ax

2 of 2

abbreviation

1

axiom

2

axis

Examples of ax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That’s the big debate company leaders are having as these bosses get the ax. — Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 22 June 2026

The Stockton Police Department released video Thursday of an officer shooting a man wielding an ax in early May. — Brandon Downs, CBS News, 18 June 2026

McNally, who authorities say was on probation after attacking a dog with an ax, had been staying intermittently in trailers in the El Cajon region in September 2023. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026

Israel also drew international criticism after a soldier photographed himself bludgeoning a fallen statue of Jesus on the cross with an ax in southern Lebanon. — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026

Rhymes for ax

• axe
• backs
• blacks
• cracks
• fax
• flax
• hacks
• jacks
• knacks
• lacks
• lakhs
• lax

Kids Definition

ax

noun

variants or axe

ˈaks

: a cutting tool that consists of a heavy edged head attached to a handle and that is used for chopping and splitting wood

Medical Definition

ax

abbreviation

axis

Biographical Definition

Ax

biographical name

ˈaks 

Emanuel 1949–     American (Ukrainian-born of Polish parents) pianist