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
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025
Her grandfather, Mikhail Alexandrovich, immediately sets about beating the left-handedness out of her, and occasionally chasing her with an axe.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 27 Aug. 2025
Perhaps the new show has an improbable axe throw of its own.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025
There’s even a mold to make metal axe heads, a skill some archaeologists argued didn’t exist in Thailand 3,500 years ago.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Traditionally that date was reserved for tracks on life support, a last chance before the axe.
—Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Excursions to go horseback riding, try axe throwing and archery, or go fishing are all easy to plan as well.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2025
Roboto also has one arm that features interchangeable hands, such as a claw, laser gun, or axe.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
The festival features competitions in archery, belly dancing, murals, axe throwing, barbecue, fairy houses and gardening.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert won its first ever Emmy, less than two months after it was axed.
—Peter White, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
Managers are increasingly opting to retrain their employees rather than axing them.
—semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The kiss was almost axed from the film's theatrical release, but a mass uprising of employees at the House of Mouse's animation subsidiary, Pixar, worked to reinstate it.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
But, in June, the VOA was rocked by widespread layoffs that axed most of the broadcaster’s staff.
—Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Coppola lamented the massive scope of the movie over and over before axing part of the crew.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
The company changed its logo last week to a simple yellow Cracker Barrel image, axing the old man and the barrel.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2025
Continue reading … ROSTER RESHUFFLE – Pro Bowl quarterback axed as Cleveland keeps rookies on roster ahead of season start.
—FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Season 4 is currently being developed with Ella Beatty taking on the lead role of Lizzie Borden, who was tried and acquitted of the 1892 axe murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, MA.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025
Her grandfather, Mikhail Alexandrovich, immediately sets about beating the left-handedness out of her, and occasionally chasing her with an axe.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 27 Aug. 2025
Perhaps the new show has an improbable axe throw of its own.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025
There’s even a mold to make metal axe heads, a skill some archaeologists argued didn’t exist in Thailand 3,500 years ago.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Traditionally that date was reserved for tracks on life support, a last chance before the axe.
—Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Excursions to go horseback riding, try axe throwing and archery, or go fishing are all easy to plan as well.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2025
Roboto also has one arm that features interchangeable hands, such as a claw, laser gun, or axe.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
The festival features competitions in archery, belly dancing, murals, axe throwing, barbecue, fairy houses and gardening.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Ahead of Euro 2024, Nagelsmann made the drastic step to axe certain key players from the squad.
—Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert won its first ever Emmy, less than two months after it was axed.
—Peter White, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
Managers are increasingly opting to retrain their employees rather than axing them.
—semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The kiss was almost axed from the film's theatrical release, but a mass uprising of employees at the House of Mouse's animation subsidiary, Pixar, worked to reinstate it.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
But, in June, the VOA was rocked by widespread layoffs that axed most of the broadcaster’s staff.
—Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Coppola lamented the massive scope of the movie over and over before axing part of the crew.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
The company changed its logo last week to a simple yellow Cracker Barrel image, axing the old man and the barrel.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2025
Continue reading … ROSTER RESHUFFLE – Pro Bowl quarterback axed as Cleveland keeps rookies on roster ahead of season start.
—FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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