variants
or ax
plural axes
1
: a cutting tool that consists of a heavy edged head fixed to a handle with the edge parallel to the handle and that is used especially for felling trees and chopping and splitting wood
2
: a hammer with a sharp edge for dressing (see dress entry 1 sense 6e) or spalling stone
3
informal
a
: removal from office or release from employment : dismissal
—usually used with the
Employees with poor evaluations got the axe.
Trump quickly gave him the ax [=fired him] for his incompetence.—
Laura Petrecca
Laura Petrecca
b
: abrupt elimination or severe reduction of something
Unlimited expense accounts, signing bonuses, and office plants—all are getting the ax [=being cut or eliminated] thanks to corporate cost-cutting measures.—Amanda Hinnant
Amanda HinnantNo party was brave enough to offend its supporters by taking an axe to [=severely reducing] expenditure.—The Economist
The Economist4
slang
: any of several musical instruments (such as a guitar or a saxophone)
variants
or ax
axed; axing; axes
1
a
: to shape, dress (see dress entry 1 sense 6e), or trim with an axe
axe stone
b
: to chop, split, or sever with an axe
axe branches from a tree
2
informal
: to remove abruptly (as from employment or from a budget)
The TV program was axed from the new schedule.
Examples of axe in a Sentence
Noun
the company was hemorrhaging money, so 700 employees would soon be given the ax
Verb
The boss told him that he had been axed.
the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Her only ally is a mystical axe whose victims wind up as decapitated, talking heads.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Aside from witnessing the chaotic competition, guests can witness and interact with alligators from Gatorland, try their hands at axe throwing, play knockerball (bubble soccer), attempt a Ninja Nation obstacle course and ride a mechanical gator.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2025
These are medical researchers, Grand Canyon Park Rangers, all of them right now, getting the axe.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2025
The host feigned confusion, grabbing a foam axe from under his desk.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2025
To suggest that hateful, immoral behavior is being driven by a cabal of the Catholic Church wielding the axe of natural law is to engage in the very hate- and fearmongering that Schwartz seems to eschew.
—Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2025
Trees and vegetation are always slumbering, helpless at the woodman’s axe or the casual munching of a ruminant.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
In another scene, Oliver shoves Mallory, breaks a light fixture, and chases her with an axe.
—Federico Fahsbender, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025
Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025
Demands include axing the HALT bill, which restricts how much solitary confinement can be used, and several directed at boosting recruiting.
—Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 Feb. 2025
After Andrew reportedly refused to downsize, the king axed his allowance.
—Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 24 Jan. 2025
In addition to its legal threats, the CSN has asked consumers, companies and Canadian government agencies to boycott Amazon, whether by not buying products from the platform, canceling Amazon Prime subscriptions, axing contracts with Amazon and its subsidiaries like AWS or otherwise.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2025
That caused some users on social media to incorrectly report that the program itself had been axed.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 4 Feb. 2025
Starbucks has already axed its lineup of olive oil drinks and iced energy drinks.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
The move comes after Trump over the weekend axed 17 government watchdogs at agencies including the departments of Defense, State, Transportation, VA, Energy, Interior, and Housing and Urban Development.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 28 Jan. 2025
In 2021, Instagram launched a Reels bonus program, but in 2022, creators said the platform had begun slashing their payments until the program was axed completely in 2023.
—Emma Roth, The Verge, 21 Jan. 2025
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Noun
Origin: Durango Class: Joven, Artisanal Milling: Hand pounded with an axe.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Her only ally is a mystical axe whose victims wind up as decapitated, talking heads.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Aside from witnessing the chaotic competition, guests can witness and interact with alligators from Gatorland, try their hands at axe throwing, play knockerball (bubble soccer), attempt a Ninja Nation obstacle course and ride a mechanical gator.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2025
These are medical researchers, Grand Canyon Park Rangers, all of them right now, getting the axe.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2025
The host feigned confusion, grabbing a foam axe from under his desk.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 28 Jan. 2025
To suggest that hateful, immoral behavior is being driven by a cabal of the Catholic Church wielding the axe of natural law is to engage in the very hate- and fearmongering that Schwartz seems to eschew.
—Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2025
Trees and vegetation are always slumbering, helpless at the woodman’s axe or the casual munching of a ruminant.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
In another scene, Oliver shoves Mallory, breaks a light fixture, and chases her with an axe.
—Federico Fahsbender, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
As first broken by The Hollywood Reporter late last year, the studio axed a storyline involving a trans teammate, Kai (Chanel Stewart), over the objections of many Pixar staffers — keeping the character in the show, but reimagining her as cis.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025
Demands include axing the HALT bill, which restricts how much solitary confinement can be used, and several directed at boosting recruiting.
—Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 Feb. 2025
After Andrew reportedly refused to downsize, the king axed his allowance.
—Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 24 Jan. 2025
In addition to its legal threats, the CSN has asked consumers, companies and Canadian government agencies to boycott Amazon, whether by not buying products from the platform, canceling Amazon Prime subscriptions, axing contracts with Amazon and its subsidiaries like AWS or otherwise.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2025
That caused some users on social media to incorrectly report that the program itself had been axed.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 4 Feb. 2025
Starbucks has already axed its lineup of olive oil drinks and iced energy drinks.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
The move comes after Trump over the weekend axed 17 government watchdogs at agencies including the departments of Defense, State, Transportation, VA, Energy, Interior, and Housing and Urban Development.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 28 Jan. 2025
In 2021, Instagram launched a Reels bonus program, but in 2022, creators said the platform had begun slashing their payments until the program was axed completely in 2023.
—Emma Roth, The Verge, 21 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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