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
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 18 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
He had been bludgeoned with an axe, Cincinnati police Detective Jeff Smallwood testified.
—Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Sep. 2025
Kimmel becomes the second late night show host to get the axe this year.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 18 Sep. 2025
Investments range from costlier new building of entertainment centers that combine multi-screen theaters with activities from axe throwing to bowling to arcades; reopening and revamping closed cinemas; new digital projectors, movie screens, sound systems and seats in auditoriums.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
Because most second-growth trees – which can be up to 175 years old – are still fair game, only 2% have avoided the axe.
—John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
The Nun pops out of a wall, a demon appears on a bed, crosses start to spin, a possessed figure scampers across the ceiling and a man with an axe cornered me in a random closet.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 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
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
Some experts have argued that axing that dose could set off a dangerous domino effect.
—Jamie Ducharme, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Amazon has laid off more than 27,000 employees since 2022, and axed some of its more unprofitable initiatives.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
The actions come amid a broader wave of educators being axed or disciplined at work for their social media posts about the assassination.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 14 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
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.
Noun
Vince has an estranged adult daughter; Jake is an absentee father to a young son; Jake is partnered in his restaurant with a big celebrity; both brothers used to be rock stars; a former restaurant employee has an axe to grind with Jake.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 18 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
He had been bludgeoned with an axe, Cincinnati police Detective Jeff Smallwood testified.
—Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Sep. 2025
Kimmel becomes the second late night show host to get the axe this year.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 18 Sep. 2025
Investments range from costlier new building of entertainment centers that combine multi-screen theaters with activities from axe throwing to bowling to arcades; reopening and revamping closed cinemas; new digital projectors, movie screens, sound systems and seats in auditoriums.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
Because most second-growth trees – which can be up to 175 years old – are still fair game, only 2% have avoided the axe.
—John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
The Nun pops out of a wall, a demon appears on a bed, crosses start to spin, a possessed figure scampers across the ceiling and a man with an axe cornered me in a random closet.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 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
Verb
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
Some experts have argued that axing that dose could set off a dangerous domino effect.
—Jamie Ducharme, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Amazon has laid off more than 27,000 employees since 2022, and axed some of its more unprofitable initiatives.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
The actions come amid a broader wave of educators being axed or disciplined at work for their social media posts about the assassination.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 14 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
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share