as in dismissals
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
1
as in centers
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest
in addition to being the suburb's social axis, the country club is the place where deals are made and partnerships are forged
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in alliances
an association of persons, parties, or states for mutual assistance and protection
an axis of previously nonaligned nations
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in sacks
to let go from office, service, or employment
the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 axes
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 June 2026
In each of these domains, the system is judged on two axes.
—
Anna Meadows,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Most magnetic microrobots operate with five degrees of freedom, allowing movement along three axes and rotation in two directions.
—
New Atlas,
8 June 2026
There are barbarians with battle axes and swords, robots with laser guns, spaceships, a warlock with a skull for a face.
—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
Soon doctors and others will snatch fire axes to crack through the cabinets’ Plexiglas fronts and pry open the doors.
—
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Plus, the Paintbox kids also spend time outside with an archery and kid-friendly axe-throwing set (no real axes, although there are for adults) and at the farm for various activities.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Palstave axes were designed with a side loop to be securely attached to a wooden handle.
—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Cavemen had clubs, Vikings had axes, but what can the modern man-about-town brandish to continue this martial tradition, while steering clear of city ordinances and the disapproval of his peers?
—
Air Mail,
9 May 2026
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Players walk down a narrow beam, timing their pace to maneuver between giant, erratically swinging (faux) axes.
—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 June 2026
In each of these domains, the system is judged on two axes.
—
Anna Meadows,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Most magnetic microrobots operate with five degrees of freedom, allowing movement along three axes and rotation in two directions.
—
New Atlas,
8 June 2026
There are barbarians with battle axes and swords, robots with laser guns, spaceships, a warlock with a skull for a face.
—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
Soon doctors and others will snatch fire axes to crack through the cabinets’ Plexiglas fronts and pry open the doors.
—
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Plus, the Paintbox kids also spend time outside with an archery and kid-friendly axe-throwing set (no real axes, although there are for adults) and at the farm for various activities.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Palstave axes were designed with a side loop to be securely attached to a wooden handle.
—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Cavemen had clubs, Vikings had axes, but what can the modern man-about-town brandish to continue this martial tradition, while steering clear of city ordinances and the disapproval of his peers?
—
Air Mail,
9 May 2026
Verb
The passed by Republicans last month axes the credits for projects that don’t begin producing electricity by 2028.
—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for axes
Noun
-
That led to a number of dismissals, including coach Massimiliano Allegri.
-
What is particularly concerning about these firings is the effect the dismissals will have on the officer ranks.
Noun
-
Lahore is the capital of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, where many parents send their children to private tutoring centers in the afternoon and evening.
-
Kennard could have provided a critical floor-spacing piece around Doncic, who thrives when surrounded by lob-catching centers, athletic wings and knockdown shooters.
Noun
-
Certainly, many of these organizations are virtuous, tapping different constituencies, and forming alliances to reinforce common interests.
-
What’s interesting about the characters in your book is that their ideological alliances are quite fluid, depending on the circumstances.
Verb
-
Manning, back for what is probably his final season, is on the short list of best returning quarterbacks in the country and edge rusher Colin Simmons won the SEC sacks title with 12.
-
Riley Moss sacks a scrambling Trevor Lawrence on third-and-4 for a 1-yard loss.
Noun
-
Francisco Lindor had been through managerial firings before with the New York Mets.
-
What is particularly concerning about these firings is the effect the dismissals will have on the officer ranks.
Noun
-
That represents a significant eyeball shift following last season’s 50-50 split between the two fashion capitals.
-
Both are attempting historic makeovers of their capitals, with an eye to their own legacies.
Noun
-
That proposal drew opposition from unions and associations representing teachers and school employees.
-
The ratification ends this year’s round of negotiations with the above-the-line unions — the DGA, the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA — all of which reached agreements well before their contracts expired, and without the threat of a strike.
Verb
-
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine fires a torpedo at the decommissioned USS Juneau in support of a live-fire sinking exercise (SINKEX) as part of Valiant Shield 2026 while underway in the Philippine Sea, June 27, 2026.
-
The playlist that fires you up for routine tasks is likely to interfere with more demanding work.
Cite this Entry
“Axes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/axes. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
