✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Learn More!
✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary — Learn More!

axe to grind

phrase

: an ulterior often selfish underlying purpose
claims that he has no axe to grind in criticizing the proposed law

Browse Nearby Words

axes of coordinates
axe to grind
ax-grinder
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Axe to grind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe%20to%20grind. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'Buck Naked' or 'Butt Naked'?

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

The Words of the Week - Dec. 12

17 Words for Dog Breeds

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
serval
Name That Animal: Volume 3 Who’s who of the zoo crew
See All