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axing

verb

present participle of ax
as in sacking
to let go from office, service, or employment the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 axing Documents produced by two DHS whistleblowers in February showed that ICE had significantly scaled up its hiring while axing several screening and training protocols for officers. — Connor Greene, Time, 12 Aug. 2026 In his July memo, Blume said the company is considering axing a further 50,000 roles globally and closing four factories in Germany. — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 24 July 2026 For the first time since temporarily axing the base model WRX for 2025, Subaru regained traction with its sport compact, with sales jumping 50% from a year ago. — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 4 June 2026 More than a dozen are rumored to be on his shortlist for axing, after several more were voluntarily killed or amended to avoid the gallows. — Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026 Brendan McDermid | Reuters Amazon is axing its Rufus chatbot and making its Alexa assistant the centerpiece of its artificial intelligence shopping strategy. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 13 May 2026 Amazon has been laying off staff en masse this year, axing over 16,000 employees in 2026 so far. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 2 May 2026 The city is also contemplating axing more than 94 vacant jobs. — Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026 The biggest headline in Europe this week was German airline Lufthansa axing 20,000 flights through October. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for axing
  1. sacking
  2. removing
  3. dismissing
  4. firing
  5. retiring
  6. releasing
Verb
  • Detroit's pass rush sacked Smith five times for 44 yards, two weeks after sacking the New Orleans Saints' Tyler Shough five times in an overtime victory.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Hurricanes were constantly in the backfield, sacking CMU quarterbacks four times.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of sacking
Verb
  • That equates to removing the electricity demand of roughly 50,000 window air conditioners from the grid or powering approximately 34,000 households for four hours each day during peak demand.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Before applying the mulch, Singh advises removing any handles, tape, staples, or labels from the paper bags.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of removing
Verb
  • Now with Jane Doe recanting her claims, Carter’s attorneys have filed a notice to the judge, dismissing all claims against her — though their case against her former attorney, Buzbee, still stands.
    — Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In previous orders, Kiir has alarmed observers by dismissing important officials.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissing
Verb
  • The Daily Dividend Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek has stayed largely quiet about his 2022 firing from the entertainment giant.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • After assessing telemetry, Elon Musk's flight control team decided the spacecraft was otherwise healthy and a second engine firing using a single Raptor engine completed the climb to orbit.
    — William Harwood, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of firing
Verb
  • Versatile forward Nicolas Batum is retiring following an 18-year NBA career and a long stint with the French national team.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Despite a rainy forecast and the postponement of a ceremony honoring retiring Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose, the game began on time and wasn't interrupted.
    — CBS New York Team, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of retiring
Verb
  • In reality, as the camera operator would soon realize, Osborne had chucked the ball down the field while on the move, releasing it just as linebacker Champ Lewis wrapped his legs and dropped him to the turf.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Experts warn that massive constellations could be incredibly ecologically damaging, releasing copious amounts of atmospheric pollution and risking damage to the ozone layer.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of releasing

Browse Nearby Words

axes
axing
axiom
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Cite this Entry

“Axing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/axing. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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