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
Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
On Tuesday, the chancellor would not be drawn on the specifics around tax rises when journalists questioned where the axe could fall.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
In March 2019, a week before the letter was published, the Axeman attacked the Cortimiglia family, beating grocery owner Charlie and his wife Rosie with an axe.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
However, last week the Italian consolidator swung the axe and replaced the entire C-suite, including CEO Bert Habets, and ported Nicola Lussana in to run ad sales biz Seven.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
Unfortunately, the player must decide from here which of the worst-performing heroes will need to get the axe — one of the first real decisions to make that will have major consequences moving forward.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Archaeologists discovered a stone axe under the volcanic ash.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
And at its climax, the Grabber, the franchise killer played by Ethan Hawke, gracefully stalks his victims on ice skates, ready to lop some heads with an axe.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
The coach who continues to escape the axe did so again.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Noah White, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
The quesos were not the only popular items that Chili's axed from its menu.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Companies have mostly cited efforts to streamline operations and growth strategy as reasons for cuts, but many are nodding at AI as part of the reason that human worker roles can be axed now or in the future.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
The Rams dismissed Jay Norvell last weekend, a mere seven days after Oregon State axed Trent Bray.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
The Times’ reporting did not include any information about axing jobs for active Amazon workers.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
According to the court filing, 2,050 positions would be axed.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Amazon isn’t commenting on why it has been axed, news that The Nightly first reported over the weekend.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
Battery storage systems, which are emissions-free energy sources, are also facing opposition; a Hamilton County proposal was axed this summer after the community pushed back.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025
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Noun
By mid-season, he was named interim manager when the Jays trudged to a 46-42 record in the first few months and manager Charlie Montoyo got the axe.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
On Tuesday, the chancellor would not be drawn on the specifics around tax rises when journalists questioned where the axe could fall.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
In March 2019, a week before the letter was published, the Axeman attacked the Cortimiglia family, beating grocery owner Charlie and his wife Rosie with an axe.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
However, last week the Italian consolidator swung the axe and replaced the entire C-suite, including CEO Bert Habets, and ported Nicola Lussana in to run ad sales biz Seven.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
Unfortunately, the player must decide from here which of the worst-performing heroes will need to get the axe — one of the first real decisions to make that will have major consequences moving forward.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Archaeologists discovered a stone axe under the volcanic ash.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
And at its climax, the Grabber, the franchise killer played by Ethan Hawke, gracefully stalks his victims on ice skates, ready to lop some heads with an axe.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
The coach who continues to escape the axe did so again.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
Twelve schools have already axed their coaches before Halloween, the most in the last decade.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
The quesos were not the only popular items that Chili's axed from its menu.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Companies have mostly cited efforts to streamline operations and growth strategy as reasons for cuts, but many are nodding at AI as part of the reason that human worker roles can be axed now or in the future.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
The Rams dismissed Jay Norvell last weekend, a mere seven days after Oregon State axed Trent Bray.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
The Times’ reporting did not include any information about axing jobs for active Amazon workers.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
According to the court filing, 2,050 positions would be axed.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Amazon isn’t commenting on why it has been axed, news that The Nightly first reported over the weekend.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
Battery storage systems, which are emissions-free energy sources, are also facing opposition; a Hamilton County proposal was axed this summer after the community pushed back.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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