on the chopping block
idiom
informal
: likely to be fired, removed, or eliminated, etc.
There were several government programs on the chopping block.
Examples of on the chopping block in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rumor has it that a whole blockfront of former tenements there will soon be on the chopping block.
—
Roberta Brandes Gratz, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
Goddard’s archives were then placed on the chopping block.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Music programs, Outdoor School, bus transportation, even modest teacher raises — all are on the chopping block.
—Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
The charger funding that was included in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, which is now on the chopping block, was supposed to help fix that.
—Keith Laing, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the chopping block
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Roberta Brandes Gratz, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
Goddard’s archives were then placed on the chopping block.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Music programs, Outdoor School, bus transportation, even modest teacher raises — all are on the chopping block.
—Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
The charger funding that was included in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, which is now on the chopping block, was supposed to help fix that.
—Keith Laing, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the chopping block
Cite this Entry
“On the chopping block.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20chopping%20block. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
