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
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 May 2026
In a tacit acknowledgement of the opposition his bill faced, Valdez voluntarily axed the measure.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The addition of ripple fries, billed as a healthier version of the fast-food staple, lasted five months before being axed.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Also axed was an anti-terrorism program that had trained more than 430,000 state and local law enforcement officers and other partners since 1996.
—Andrea Hagan, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
Amazon has been laying off staff en masse this year, axing over 16,000 employees in 2026 so far.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 2 May 2026
After she and the entire staff at the New York Vanguard get axed via text message, Andy makes a stirring speech championing the importance of journalism.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
The Boston Red Sox, in last place in the American League East, let go of Alex Cora, and then the Philadelphia Phillies axed Rob Thomson.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
The city is also contemplating axing more than 94 vacant jobs.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 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
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
In a tacit acknowledgement of the opposition his bill faced, Valdez voluntarily axed the measure.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The addition of ripple fries, billed as a healthier version of the fast-food staple, lasted five months before being axed.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Also axed was an anti-terrorism program that had trained more than 430,000 state and local law enforcement officers and other partners since 1996.
—Andrea Hagan, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
Amazon has been laying off staff en masse this year, axing over 16,000 employees in 2026 so far.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 2 May 2026
After she and the entire staff at the New York Vanguard get axed via text message, Andy makes a stirring speech championing the importance of journalism.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
The Boston Red Sox, in last place in the American League East, let go of Alex Cora, and then the Philadelphia Phillies axed Rob Thomson.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
The city is also contemplating axing more than 94 vacant jobs.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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