as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
under his slash-and-burn management ethic, even longtime employees were summarily downsized for the sake of corporate competitiveness
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Recent Examples of slash-and-burn
The work draws from images of gold mining in the Amazon, referencing extractive practices like logging and slash-and-burn farming.
—
Nel-Olivia Waga, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Trump’s slash-and-burn approach to reform — on issues as varied as immigration enforcement to Medicaid to Veterans Affairs and COVID-19 shots, just for starters, will take a strong pushback just to land somewhere near the ever-elusive sensible center.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Supporters see him as an eccentric genius whose slash-and-burn management style is key to his success.
—Kirsten Grind, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Musk’s unorthodox—and often secretive—slash-and-burn tactics often sowed chaos during his tenure in the government.
—Nik Popli, Time, 29 May 2025
Of course, given the dependence of many practitioners on public commissions, opposition to slash-and-burn fiscal policy is also very much in their own interest.
—Ian Volner, Artforum, 28 May 2025
Congress and the courts must do everything possible to stop the federal administration's slash-and-burn tactics.
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
The Tesla and SpaceX mogul is a key ally of Trump, leading his slash-and-burn effort to cut government spending with his Department of Government Efficiency.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
Trump’s slash-and-burn approach has hurt nearly every college revenue stream.
—Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Nel-Olivia Waga, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Trump’s slash-and-burn approach to reform — on issues as varied as immigration enforcement to Medicaid to Veterans Affairs and COVID-19 shots, just for starters, will take a strong pushback just to land somewhere near the ever-elusive sensible center.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Supporters see him as an eccentric genius whose slash-and-burn management style is key to his success.
—Kirsten Grind, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Musk’s unorthodox—and often secretive—slash-and-burn tactics often sowed chaos during his tenure in the government.
—Nik Popli, Time, 29 May 2025
Of course, given the dependence of many practitioners on public commissions, opposition to slash-and-burn fiscal policy is also very much in their own interest.
—Ian Volner, Artforum, 28 May 2025
Congress and the courts must do everything possible to stop the federal administration's slash-and-burn tactics.
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
The Tesla and SpaceX mogul is a key ally of Trump, leading his slash-and-burn effort to cut government spending with his Department of Government Efficiency.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
Trump’s slash-and-burn approach has hurt nearly every college revenue stream.
—Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slash-and-burn
Adjective
-
Confronting Iran’s ruthless campaign of terror, nuclear ambitions, and regional aggression demands strength, resolve, and strategic clarity.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
21 June 2025
-
Michael Fassbender plays the deceased Apple guru — a flawed, ruthless, but ultimately compassionate soul.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
But in the face of an increasingly merciless healthcare system, the battered team must put aside their differences and pull together to save lives.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2025
-
The film is cold-bloodedly whimsical, asking the audience to root for a merciless man who endeavors, ever so incrementally, to understand some deeper human truths.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slash-and-burn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slash-and-burn. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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