ax 1 of 2

variants or axe
as in dismissal
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ax

2 of 2

verb

variants or axe

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 ax
Noun
After not impressing in the leadership, Doohan was given the axe by Alpine in the first half of the season. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025 Then there’s the plastic axe throwing, cornhole, Sauce Toss (a backyard-style hockey game), plus their own version of a Shot-Ski, a hockey stick with three shot glasses glued to it so friends can drink together. Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 11 June 2025
Verb
Scientists have been desperate to get back to Venus, for example, after a chemical compound associated with life was potentially detected high in its atmosphere in 2020; the two missions that would get us there are axed out of the administration’s budget. Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025 Theater groups, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum and various community organizations also had funding axed out of the budget. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
Noun
  • But the Trump administration said Maddox instead should’ve taken his cue from the Supreme Court’s May decision allowing the president to fire Democratic members of two federal labor boards while the former members challenge their dismissals.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 24 July 2025
  • Right now, all Broward students are prohibited from using their cellphones from the morning bell until dismissal, under a policy the School Board passed last year in hopes of improving mental health and academics among students.
    Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • This is the first time a studio has put tickets for sale this early in advance, but considering Nolan has a loyal army of fans large enough to sack a city, there certainly won’t be any shortage of uptake.
    Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Red Bull driver Max Verstappen backed former boss Christian Horner before he got sacked by the higher-ups at the racing team.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • On June 10, Kelly filed an emergency motion for temporary furlough, claiming there is explicit evidence that officials solicited an inmate to murder him while in custody at a federal penitentiary in North Carolina.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 19 June 2025
  • The judge had released him from jail on a medical furlough in 2018 due to a cancer diagnosis and other medical issues.
    Alex Riggins, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • The Nationals’ selection came a week after the organization fired manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2025
  • Apparently, Señor Musk is now working for the government and firing a lot of people from their jobs—and really enjoying it.
    Larry David, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Promptly remove former employees or admins Regularly audit account access and revoke permissions for anyone who no longer needs it.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025
  • The handle snaps on and can be removed entirely or replaced with a strap.
    Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 20 July 2025
Verb
  • The felony charges were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they can't be refiled.
    Quinlan Bentley, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025
  • While rumors suggested that the two met off the coast in their yachts, Wolff has dismissed the report.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Such contracts can be terminated with 120 days notice from the USPS - but many sites impacted by the decision have warned the closures could negatively impact the local community and their businesses.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • Hogan apologized, but the WWE had already decided to terminate his contract and effectively wipe him from the sport, removing references to him from their website, pulling merchandise, and even yanking him from the WWE Hall of Fame.
    Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Regarding Trump's assertions, the White House pointed NPR to a 2022 analysis done by the district attorney's office in Yolo County, Calif., which found that most of the 595 people released there without bail during the study period committed new crimes.
    Meg Anderson, NPR, 21 July 2025
  • Maybe investigative documents, perhaps including the files Trump ordered released, can answer some of these questions.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 21 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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