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

Relevance

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
Kimmel becomes the second late night show host to get the axe this year. Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 18 Sep. 2025 When Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency began wielding its ax at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration earlier this year, many believed this was done to weaken the agency's oversight over Tesla. Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
Noun
  • The dismissal represented an abrupt end to a case with little recent precedent in Alameda County.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
  • All of these cases ended with either dismissals or acquittals.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Gastineau, who appeared emotional, accused Favre of taking a dive during a game in 2001 so that New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan could sack him and break Gastineau’s single-season record.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Another key distinction was that the Cowboys' defense didn't sack Williams, something that hindered him in the Bears' first two losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
    Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • An Office of Management and Budget memo obtained by Punchbowl News on Wednesday detailed the administration’s personnel plans for a shutdown, which go beyond the standard furloughs.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The stakes are higher for federal workers because the White House is considering layoffs rather than temporary furloughs.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Other agencies affected by the DOGE firing spree have also had to reverse course and rehire workers.
    Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Officials said evidence collected at the location confirmed that multiple gunshots were fired.
    Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which attempted to eliminate or remove all tribes to west of the Mississippi River.
    Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Branum also alleged that the man was not removed from the flight because of his status as a frequent flyer.
    Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Once the contestants are dismissed from the runway, the judges get more into it.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Defense attorneys for the man accused of killing his Miami Hurricanes football star teammate in 2006 want prosecutors sanctioned — or the murder case dismissed — after a key witness, who state prosecutors believed was dead, was found alive by an ESPN reporter.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • To eliminate any risk to his campaign, Arthur has Lady Olivia terminate the pregnancy in London.
    Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Officers must also consider at all times whether to terminate a chase, based on 19 risk factors that include road conditions and the likely presence of children or elderly pedestrians in the immediate area.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Baker escorted Skeet to Winkler County jail where he was booked and released on $20,000 bail.
    Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Both were in theatres for only a week or so, before being released on the platform.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ax

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!