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

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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
Borden was famously tried and acquitted of the 1892 ax murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025 There’s a man standing with an ax, who has just chopped up a custom vintage antique cupboard. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
Still, services axed this year may leave behind a vacuum. Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Oct. 2025 Between January and May roughly 22,100 people in Virginia lost their jobs after the Department of Government Efficiency axed larger swaths of the federal bureaucracy, according to Federal Reserve data. Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
Noun
  • Dellinger challenged his dismissal in a lawsuit but later dropped the suit.
    Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Their dismissals seem like a matter of when, not if.
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Jones has passed for over 340 yards in each of the two games since then, though he was sacked six times and had two passes intercepted in Sunday’s 30-19 loss at Tampa Bay.
    Cam Inman, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
  • But after sacking Russell Martin, Rangers’ decision-makers have found the gig has all the magnetism of aluminium.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • During the government shutdown, many workers are feeling the squeeze through furloughs or working without pay.
    Margaret Barthel, NPR, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Federal law enforcement agencies are exempt from furloughs during the government shutdown that started October 1.
    Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Only the Tennessee Titans, who fired their head coach this week, have allowed more than the Bills’ nine rushing TDs.
    Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Orbison's lawsuit was filed a day after a similar suit by a Rutherford County teacher fired over her social media posts following Kirk's death.
    Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Crews have made progress removing hazardous materials and explosives from the massive scene, according to Jamey VanVliet, special agent in charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Nashville Field Division.
    Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Trump ultimately activated the National Guard and federal agents later in August to deter crime, clear homeless encampments, and remove trash in public areas.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Biden administration dismissed the lawsuit, and prosecutors dropped a grand jury investigation the following year.
    NPR, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The revelation immediately erupted into a political crisis, with the head of prisons dismissed and Guatemalans threatening to protest.
    New York Times, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In November, Jackson terminated Gatlin for swindling millions of dollars from the Foundation as executives privately reeled over her betrayal of the hospital system’s fundraising arm, which raises tens of millions to benefit Jackson’s patients.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Fewer than 10 employees were being terminated at the Education Department’s Office of Communications and Outreach.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This and that Four Dolphins who were released by the team in August had workouts or visits elsewhere on Friday.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Though the administration has released batches of files to the House Oversight Committee, Democrats point out that most of the information provided to the committee had already been public knowledge.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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