Synonyms of axes

axes 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of ax

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

• dismissals
• firings
• furloughs
• layoffs
• redundancies
• discharges
• boots
• sacks
• pink slips
• birds
• closings
• shutdowns
• bum's rushes
• shakeouts
• heave-hos
• shake-ups

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• callbacks
• recalls
• rehires
• reemployments

axes

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of axis

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

• centers
• capitals
• hubs
• foci
• meccas
• bases
• nuclei
• hearts
• seats
• cores
• nexuses
• loci
• epicenters
• centrals
• playgrounds
• nerve centers
• headquarters
• navels
• ground zeros
• eyes
• cynosures
• omphali
• hot spots
• magnets
• kernels
• hives
• hotbeds
• nubs
• essences
• attractions
• lodestones
• piths
• thicks
• happy hunting grounds
• deeps
• playlands
• souls
• polestars
• quintessences

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

• alliances
• unions
• coalitions
• confederacies
• leagues
• federations
• combinations
• groups
• partnerships
• combines
• blocs
• confederations
• blocks
• organizations
• associations
• factions
• wings
• sides
• cartels
• fusions
• conspiracies
• fronts
• affiliations
• cooperatives
• cabals
• syndicates
• trusts
• conferences
• juntos
• circuits

axes

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of ax

as in sacks

to let go from office, service, or employment

the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sacks
• fires
• removes
• dismisses
• releases
• retires
• cans
• discharges
• terminates
• turns off
• pink-slips
• excesses
• bounces
• musters out
• shows (someone) the door
• trims
• cashiers
• boots (out)
• lays off
• sends packing
• furloughs
• downsizes
• kicks out
• drums (out)
• separates
• throws out
• unseats
• chucks (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• employs
• signs (up or on)
• engages
• retains
• hires
• takes on
• keeps
• contracts
• recruits
• reemploys
• rehires
• subcontracts

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of axes

Noun

Johannes is the de facto lead guitarist in the band, delivering impressive runs on a variety of axes. —Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026

Those weapons included firearms, tasers, axes, knives, baseball bats and flagpoles. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2026

Some adventurous souls actually want to tempt gravity, using axes to climb frozen waterfalls or sheets of ice. —Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 9 Jan. 2026

Continue reading … RELAUNCH HICCUP – CBS axes top 'Evening News' producer just days into broadcast revamp. —FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026

In this area, the team found a small patch of reddened sediment, about the size of a modest campfire, surrounded by two pyrites, 19 flints, and four broken hand axes, showing clear signs of heating. —Jay Kakade december 30, New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2025

Continued excavations turned up four stone hand axes that had been shattered by fire. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 10 Dec. 2025

From one metaphor to another From Bush’s revival, the idea of axes took on a life of its own. —Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025

Utility hatchets are essential, but some axes are made to last several lifetimes. —Outside, 3 Dec. 2025

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