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
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
The 45,000-square-foot, multilevel attraction will featuring 60 physical and mental games that involve feats such as solving puzzles and dodging swing axes.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2026
The fur trade brought smallpox to the Pacific Northwest—including a particularly devastating outbreak in 1862—but also metal axes, chisels, and adzes, which displaced carving tools made of stone.
—Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026
What did that earth remember, that patch of chalky Pleistocene tuff full of the petrified remains of pre-people and their stone hand axes?
—Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
During raids in Czechia and Austria, police seized some weapons, such as knives, machetes, axes and gas pistols.
—ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
Doing this in two axes, the study is the first to achieve quantum-limited alignment of the rotor’s orientation, where its direction is uncertain within only 20 microrad.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026
To control their descent, they’re given ice axes to dig into the snow as a brake.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Pete Hegseth axes investigation into Apache flyover at Kid Rock's mansion.
—FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
In a high valley, a troop of men hastened in his direction, carrying axes and long knives.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
The 45,000-square-foot, multilevel attraction will featuring 60 physical and mental games that involve feats such as solving puzzles and dodging swing axes.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2026
The fur trade brought smallpox to the Pacific Northwest—including a particularly devastating outbreak in 1862—but also metal axes, chisels, and adzes, which displaced carving tools made of stone.
—Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026
What did that earth remember, that patch of chalky Pleistocene tuff full of the petrified remains of pre-people and their stone hand axes?
—Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
During raids in Czechia and Austria, police seized some weapons, such as knives, machetes, axes and gas pistols.
—ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
Doing this in two axes, the study is the first to achieve quantum-limited alignment of the rotor’s orientation, where its direction is uncertain within only 20 microrad.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026
To control their descent, they’re given ice axes to dig into the snow as a brake.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Pete Hegseth axes investigation into Apache flyover at Kid Rock's mansion.
—FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 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
-
And after overseeing one of the most chaotic seasons in franchise history, following prior actions in the front office that included the dismissals of Kyle Dubas and then Brendan Shanahan, Pelley and an ownership group in transition haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
The policy targeted former party members, particularly those in senior positions under the previous government, and led to large-scale dismissals across the public sector, including the military, education and civil service.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Still, much of the public conversations around education centers on test scores and older students, leaving early childhood largely out of the discussion.—
Tina Dello Russo,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Soriano and Pawlowski have been two of the leaders who have protested the location of any Amazon data centers at 61st Avenue and Colorado Street.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
These poles are not relics but living records of family lineage, alliances, and legends.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
By upending decades-old international trade norms and security alliances – not to mention launching a war with Iran that seems to have benefited almost no one – Trump is seen by many to have helped China score not only strategically but even morally.—
Steven Jiang,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
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.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Riley Moss sacks a scrambling Trevor Lawrence on third-and-4 for a 1-yard loss.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Resignations, firings and transfers reduced the 36-person section to two.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
1 May 2026
-
The distinguished scientists and engineers who made up the National Science Board did not know the firings were coming.—
Caroline Wagner,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Miami has also become one of the capitals of mixed martial arts, with gyms and talents that raise the level every day.—
Jorge Ebro
May 6,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
Climate politics may be stalled in some national capitals.—
Natalie Sum Yue Chung,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Over the last several months, tensions have been high between the two unions.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
As a possible Long Island Rail Road strike looms, the consortium of five unions representing 3,500 LIRR workers said Friday that ongoing talks with the MTA have not been productive.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Giuffre then fires two shots at Griffin, who immediately drops to the ground.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
-
Giuffre again orders him to stop, and fires two shots.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Axes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/axes. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
