slash-and-burn
adjective
1
: characterized or developed by felling and burning trees to clear land especially for temporary agriculture
2
: extremely ruthless and unsparing
slash-and-burn tactics
slash-and-burn criticism
Examples of slash-and-burn in a Sentence
under his slash-and-burn management ethic, even longtime employees were summarily downsized for the sake of corporate competitiveness
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump’s slash-and-burn approach to reform — on issues as varied as immigration enforcement to Medicaid to Veterans Affairs and COVID-19 shots, just for starters, will take a strong pushback just to land somewhere near the ever-elusive sensible center.
—
Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Supporters see him as an eccentric genius whose slash-and-burn management style is key to his success.
—Kirsten Grind, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Musk’s unorthodox—and often secretive—slash-and-burn tactics often sowed chaos during his tenure in the government.
—Nik Popli, Time, 29 May 2025
Of course, given the dependence of many practitioners on public commissions, opposition to slash-and-burn fiscal policy is also very much in their own interest.
—Ian Volner, Artforum, 28 May 2025
Congress and the courts must do everything possible to stop the federal administration's slash-and-burn tactics.
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
The Tesla and SpaceX mogul is a key ally of Trump, leading his slash-and-burn effort to cut government spending with his Department of Government Efficiency.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
Trump’s slash-and-burn approach has hurt nearly every college revenue stream.
—Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The duo have, since this spring, held rallies across the country to harness populist anger at President Donald Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk’s slash-and-burn approach to federal governance.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2025
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Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Supporters see him as an eccentric genius whose slash-and-burn management style is key to his success.
—Kirsten Grind, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Musk’s unorthodox—and often secretive—slash-and-burn tactics often sowed chaos during his tenure in the government.
—Nik Popli, Time, 29 May 2025
Of course, given the dependence of many practitioners on public commissions, opposition to slash-and-burn fiscal policy is also very much in their own interest.
—Ian Volner, Artforum, 28 May 2025
Congress and the courts must do everything possible to stop the federal administration's slash-and-burn tactics.
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
The Tesla and SpaceX mogul is a key ally of Trump, leading his slash-and-burn effort to cut government spending with his Department of Government Efficiency.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
Trump’s slash-and-burn approach has hurt nearly every college revenue stream.
—Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The duo have, since this spring, held rallies across the country to harness populist anger at President Donald Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk’s slash-and-burn approach to federal governance.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slash-and-burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slash-and-burn. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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