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:
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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Kayleigh Spring, an objects conservator at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Center, identified the tool as a palstave axe.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Lawmakers raised tuition for state universities, took an axe to Medicaid and dipped into the state’s savings account to bridge the budget gap.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
In one video posted to X on April 24 and geolocated by NBC News, two excavators can be seen destroying solar panels in the Christian border town of Debel, where a photo last month showed a soldier taking what appeared to be an axe to a statue of Jesus.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Created by Mike Moreci and Nathan Gooden and edited by Adrian Wassel, Barbaric centers on a ruthless and crass barbarian who is cursed to only use his violence for good, which sends him, his talking axe and a young witch, on a road of self-discovery, redemption and revenge.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
As Deadline reported exclusively, at the time the project landed at Netflix for development in July 2024, Sam Claflin had been attached to star and executive produce and Patrick Stewart to voice the axe, with Michael Bay in talks to direct.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 May 2026
In April 2023, a 25-year-old man entered a daycare center in the southern state of Santa Catarina and killed four children between the ages of 3 and 7 with an axe.
—CBS News, 6 May 2026
By signing deals that see customers share in the risks that come with a capacity expansion, Corning is positioned to grow revenue over the coming years without taking a major axe to its near-term cash flows.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 6 May 2026
Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
Last year was no different, as several high-profile artists axed their tours, including Adam Lambert, Jenny Hval, Yungblud, Billy Joel, and Steve Miller Band.
—Drew Pittock, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Cloudflare axed a fifth of its staff after realizing that thousands of AI agents can handle the humans’ old tasks.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
Trade groups such as the American Gaming Association have lobbied for it to be axed.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026
Brendan McDermid | Reuters Amazon is axing its Rufus chatbot and making its Alexa assistant the centerpiece of its artificial intelligence shopping strategy.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 13 May 2026
The chain almost axed side salads in 2023, but reversed course when customers made their feelings known.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 11 May 2026
This Cybertruck variant was axed in September 2025, with Tesla citing limited demand.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 10 May 2026
After a few years, Turner could probably escape his standstill by quitting the board, and press to axe Levin and ascend to CEO.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 May 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
Plus, the Paintbox kids also spend time outside with an archery and kid-friendly axe-throwing set (no real axes, although there are for adults) and at the farm for various activities.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Kayleigh Spring, an objects conservator at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Center, identified the tool as a palstave axe.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Lawmakers raised tuition for state universities, took an axe to Medicaid and dipped into the state’s savings account to bridge the budget gap.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
In one video posted to X on April 24 and geolocated by NBC News, two excavators can be seen destroying solar panels in the Christian border town of Debel, where a photo last month showed a soldier taking what appeared to be an axe to a statue of Jesus.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Created by Mike Moreci and Nathan Gooden and edited by Adrian Wassel, Barbaric centers on a ruthless and crass barbarian who is cursed to only use his violence for good, which sends him, his talking axe and a young witch, on a road of self-discovery, redemption and revenge.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
As Deadline reported exclusively, at the time the project landed at Netflix for development in July 2024, Sam Claflin had been attached to star and executive produce and Patrick Stewart to voice the axe, with Michael Bay in talks to direct.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 May 2026
In April 2023, a 25-year-old man entered a daycare center in the southern state of Santa Catarina and killed four children between the ages of 3 and 7 with an axe.
—CBS News, 6 May 2026
By signing deals that see customers share in the risks that come with a capacity expansion, Corning is positioned to grow revenue over the coming years without taking a major axe to its near-term cash flows.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 6 May 2026
Verb
More than a dozen are rumored to be on his shortlist for axing, after several more were voluntarily killed or amended to avoid the gallows.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
Last year was no different, as several high-profile artists axed their tours, including Adam Lambert, Jenny Hval, Yungblud, Billy Joel, and Steve Miller Band.
—Drew Pittock, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Cloudflare axed a fifth of its staff after realizing that thousands of AI agents can handle the humans’ old tasks.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
Trade groups such as the American Gaming Association have lobbied for it to be axed.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026
Brendan McDermid | Reuters Amazon is axing its Rufus chatbot and making its Alexa assistant the centerpiece of its artificial intelligence shopping strategy.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 13 May 2026
The chain almost axed side salads in 2023, but reversed course when customers made their feelings known.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 11 May 2026
This Cybertruck variant was axed in September 2025, with Tesla citing limited demand.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 10 May 2026
After a few years, Turner could probably escape his standstill by quitting the board, and press to axe Levin and ascend to CEO.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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