ax 1 of 2

noun

ˈaks How to pronounce ax (audio)
variants or axe
Definition of axnext
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
as in to sack
to let go from office, service, or employment the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Activities found every weekend at the Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire include axe or spear throwing, archery, dagger tossing, a Fight the Knight Challenge and a scavenger hunt. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026 But the first to get the axe was Mendoza. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026
Verb
Now, federal incentives have been axed and the new automaker has had to pivot. — Sara Lacey, The Drive, 25 June 2026 Since September of 2024, federal science agencies in the US have axed nearly 120,000 employees, in a stinging loss for public research. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
  1. dismissal
  2. sack
  3. firing
  4. fire
  5. furlough
  6. remove
  7. dismiss
  8. retire
Noun
  • In the span of a single week, the dismissal of a Ukrainian defense minister set in motion a transformation of the country’s armed forces that replaced the old guard with a new generation of leadership.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • Having disposed of the timeliness issue, the appeal court next turned to the merits of the dismissal of RCA's causes of action under the Hawaii UPEPA.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of dismissal
Verb
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked the country’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, after days of widespread protests against the removal of the country’s popular defense minister.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • He was sacked in October 2011 after just eleven games in charge, with the club’s board citing poor results and a lack of improvement in performances.
    — Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of sack
Noun
  • The comment resulted in the employee being fired, but the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the firing violated the employee’s First Amendment rights.
    — Corey Schmidt July 17, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
  • Such a timeline seems plausible, as Russian officials have previously disclosed that the RD-0169A rocket engine intended to power the Amur rocket is in the preliminary stages of test firings.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
Definition of firing
Verb
  • The Red Sox have surged without their injured ace, Garrett Crochet, who last pitched on April 25, the day Breslow fired manager Alex Cora and five coaches in a panic move, power play or, perhaps, a prescient vision of what a change could mean.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Iran launched waves of strikes towards Bahrain, while Jordan’s state news agency said the country shot down four missiles fired from Iran.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Definition of fire
Noun
  • The city of Dallas announced Tuesday that General Fund employees will be required to take at least three furlough days to address the 2026 budget shortfall.
    — Briauna Brown, CBS News, 30 June 2026
  • According to the city, on the three dates, non-uniform employees funded by the city's general fund will be required to participate in the furlough, and the days will be recorded as leave without pay.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of furlough
Verb
  • Less than two weeks after Johnson County Sheriff Adam King’s trial on a witness retaliation charge ended in a hung jury, King’s former chief deputy has filed a petition to remove him from office.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
  • Soon afterward, however, child welfare authorities removed the children from her home after concerns about their living situation.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
Definition of remove
Verb
  • Ray Wilkins was appointed manager and Fulham finished sixth — but Al Fayed was not satisfied, dismissing Wilkins and handing the job to Keegan.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Huffy, a brand once dismissed by some but historically durable and even Olympic-raced, has successfully reinvented itself in the e-bike market.
    — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • Sam Machado and his wife, Tammy Machado, who owned the property, and Tammy Machado’s sister, Reiko Matsumura, a former Yolo County sheriff’s deputy who went on leave after the explosion and retired in September.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026
  • Arts administrator Alina MacNichol retired in May after 12 years, according to the group’s social media.
    — Catherine Muccigrosso July 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
Definition of retire

Browse Nearby Words

aw-shucks
ax
axed
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Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ax

Nglish: Translation of ax for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ax

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