ax 1 of 2

variants or axe
as in dismissal
the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily the company was hemorrhaging money, so 700 employees would soon be given the ax

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ax

2 of 2

verb

variants or axe

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ax
Noun
However, last week the Italian consolidator swung the axe and replaced the entire C-suite, including CEO Bert Habets, and ported Nicola Lussana in to run ad sales biz Seven. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025 Unfortunately, the player must decide from here which of the worst-performing heroes will need to get the axe — one of the first real decisions to make that will have major consequences moving forward. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Times’ reporting did not include any information about axing jobs for active Amazon workers. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025 According to the court filing, 2,050 positions would be axed. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
Noun
  • Parents said they were told the dismissal was not the result of criminal wrongdoing or abuse allegations.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
  • That immediate dismissal stirred up a new determination within the aspiring firefighter.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • On the field, his seven tackles, sack and pass breakup helped tilt the game in the Chargers’ favour; off the field, his tribute to his brother showed the depth of his character.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 5 Nov. 2025
  • In the box score, Brissett was 21-of-31 for 261 yards with two touchdown passes despite getting sacked five times by the Cowboys.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • He had been removed from OpenAI’s nonprofit board at the time of Altman’s firing and later took a months-long sabbatical beginning in August 2024.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Tidmarsh’s ouster is the latest in a string of haphazard leadership changes at the agency, which has been rocked for months by firings, departures and controversial decisions on vaccines, fluoride and other products.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles into Israel in response and attacked the Middle East's largest American military base in Qatar.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The news comes a week after the school fired football head coach Brian Kelly and then former athletic director Scott Woodward a few days later.
    Chris Vannini, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • In Disillusioned, published last year, the journalist Benjamin Herold tracks how the school district in his middle-class Pennsylvania suburb of Penn Hills ended up $172 million in debt, leading to mass furloughs, service reductions, and, inevitably, higher property taxes.
    Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
  • That standoff stretched for 35 days, leading to the furlough of more than 350,000 federal workers and forcing 400,000 others to work without pay.
    Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • These risks have prompted the United States, China, and other spacefaring nations to develop advanced systems for tracking, avoiding, and potentially removing orbital debris.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • My son removes his shoes and socks and joins me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • On Wednesday, in documents obtained by Rolling Stone, a California superior court judge overseeing the lawsuit ruled in favor of Kardashian and the anti-SLAPP motion, effectively dismissing the other Cantu’s lawsuit, though the judge left open the possibility of an appeal.
    Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
  • This company’s approach to pest control begins with a philosophy that dismisses the business-as-usual assumptions.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Raimondo Orsi had already gone back to Argentina to look after his sick mother, and Luis Monti had retired.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Alex Morgan speaks during the ceremony to retire her Number 13 jersey following NWSL match between San Diego Wave and Houston Dash at Snapdragon Stadium on September 07, 2025 in San Diego, California.
    Jessica Golden, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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