axman

noun

ax·​man ˈaks-mən 

plural axmen

1

: one who wields an ax

2

slang : a guitarist especially in a jazz or rock band

There was nothing pedestrian about the first show of the Pearl Jam tour. Some highlights of the high-octane performance: Lead axman Mike McCready smashed his guitar to pieces …

—Michael Goldberg

3

informal : someone who is responsible for making cuts in staff, funding, etc.

a corporate axman

Examples of axman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At its center is Babe Bunyan, a towering, enigmatic axman whose search for identity and belonging drives the story toward an explosive conclusion. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026

Yet during the axman’s reign in the early 1900s, a Black woman’s confession to murder was interpreted through the lens of religious deviance rather than diversity. — Lauren Nicole Henley, The Conversation, 17 Feb. 2026

In the meantime, axman Frank Hannon has a heap of solo material in his vault to keep him busy. — Aaron Davis, sacbee, 9 Mar. 2018

Guitar guru and longtime Ozzy Osbourne axman Zakk Wylde performed with his Black Label Society. — Liz Ramanand, Billboard, 26 Jan. 2018

That method of entry was replicated in several killings attributed to the mysterious axman, including the attack on the Maggios. — James Karst, NOLA.com, 20 Aug. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for axman

• waxman