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
Daniel D'addario, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
There are six different armaments that be unlocked, ranging from a staff, axe, and dual blades to explosive skulls and a straight up mini-mech suit.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
The season finale of House of Guinness opens with Patrick Cochrane — the Fenian Brotherhood leader who Edward had banished to New York — secretly returning to Ireland, with both an axe to grind against the Guinnesses and a perilous political mission to carry out.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
Someone under 21 could also go into a number of other establishments with alcohol licenses, such as a restaurant, axe-throwing facility, golf course or club house, movie theater, painting studio, ski chalet or stadium.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Guests will also have access to axe throwing and a courtyard area to rest between haunts.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Actor and musician Corey Feldman and two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis got the axe.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Sep. 2025
The calls for retribution are not constrained to the fringes, and now whole shows are getting the axe.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Kimmel becomes the second late night show host to get the axe this year.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 18 Sep. 2025
Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
That likely means around 150-200 locations being axed, according to USA TODAY estimates.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2025
While Sunday hours would be axed at two Milwaukee Public Library locations, the fire department would be getting three more full-time fire investigators.
—Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Some celebrities, including Howard Stern, Cynthia Nixon and Misha Collins, also axed their subscriptions as a result.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
The broadcast standards department could, and often does, step in during the writing phase and can request that the team axe a joke entirely.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
However, the tech giant has also simultaneously undergone a significant internal transformation, axing more than 15,000 positions—about 7% of the company’s global workforce—since January, making its largest personnel reduction since 2014.
—Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Neil’s stroke recovery also axed the Crüe from playing the Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath Back to the Beginning farewell concert, which took place July 5 in Birmingham, England, two weeks before Osbourne passed away at the age of 76.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2025
The president also encouraged NBC to axe late-night shows hosted by Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
—Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 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
Beyond Gein, the pair are already preparing a fourth season, which will feature Ella Beatty as purported axe murderer Lizzie Borden.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
There are six different armaments that be unlocked, ranging from a staff, axe, and dual blades to explosive skulls and a straight up mini-mech suit.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
The season finale of House of Guinness opens with Patrick Cochrane — the Fenian Brotherhood leader who Edward had banished to New York — secretly returning to Ireland, with both an axe to grind against the Guinnesses and a perilous political mission to carry out.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
Someone under 21 could also go into a number of other establishments with alcohol licenses, such as a restaurant, axe-throwing facility, golf course or club house, movie theater, painting studio, ski chalet or stadium.
—Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Guests will also have access to axe throwing and a courtyard area to rest between haunts.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Actor and musician Corey Feldman and two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis got the axe.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Sep. 2025
The calls for retribution are not constrained to the fringes, and now whole shows are getting the axe.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Kimmel becomes the second late night show host to get the axe this year.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
And that's because the rot appears to be spreading up the age range to the point that British first-time parents are now more likely to support axing the crown than ever before.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
That likely means around 150-200 locations being axed, according to USA TODAY estimates.
—Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2025
While Sunday hours would be axed at two Milwaukee Public Library locations, the fire department would be getting three more full-time fire investigators.
—Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Some celebrities, including Howard Stern, Cynthia Nixon and Misha Collins, also axed their subscriptions as a result.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
The broadcast standards department could, and often does, step in during the writing phase and can request that the team axe a joke entirely.
—Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
However, the tech giant has also simultaneously undergone a significant internal transformation, axing more than 15,000 positions—about 7% of the company’s global workforce—since January, making its largest personnel reduction since 2014.
—Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Neil’s stroke recovery also axed the Crüe from playing the Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath Back to the Beginning farewell concert, which took place July 5 in Birmingham, England, two weeks before Osbourne passed away at the age of 76.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2025
The president also encouraged NBC to axe late-night shows hosted by Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
—Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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