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
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
No party was brave enough to offend its supporters by taking an axe to [=severely reducing] expenditure.—The Economist
4
slang
: any of several musical instruments (such as a guitar or a saxophone)
see also axe to grind
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
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Whether between film premieres or a post-Sundance reprieve, titans flock to the lodge for backcountry exploits like sporting clays, horseback riding, axe-throwing, and fly fishing — or opt to be whisked off to the private ski lounge.
—Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
There’s even a mold to make metal axe heads, a skill some archaeologists argued didn’t exist in Thailand 3,500 years ago.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Broward County’s financially struggling school district at one point floated closing more than 30 public schools, but on Wednesday night the axe came down on only six.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
Once at the home, which sits just north of Burbank Boulevard, police found a bloody scene and investigators believe the woman was bludgeoned to death with an axe, Fox Los Angeles reported.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Digging means using a mattock or pickaxe to break apart the soil, a shovel to remove the soil, an axe or chainsaw to cut roots, and plenty of pushing and pulling to remove the stump.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026
Gwen takes an axe to the Grabber, then gives him over to the spirits of the boys, who drag him into the water.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
Palm Springs was swapped for Barcelona as the setting of Alex's brother David's wedding, Banff became Squamish for the Canada camping trip, and a few other spots like Croatia and Iceland got the axe.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2026
Others, like Letterman, also floated the idea that the series may have been axed in order to minimize complications with the Federal Communications Commission over Paramount’s merger with Skydance media group.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Jan. 2026
That same story also suggested Samsung may axe its signature double-storage pre-order deal, which traditionally allowed users to upgrade from 256GB to 512GB at no extra cost.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Mass deporting migrants, brazenly axing federal grants and jobs, pursuing an inflationary trade war, risking the lives of soldiers to trouble the sovereignty of hemispheric neighbors—these things are shaking the everyday lives of Americans.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
Tens of thousands of public health jobs axed.
—Jennifer W. Tsai, STAT, 18 Jan. 2026
In Maine where much of the line was constructed, the project faced heavy opposition and a 2021 referendum, during which voters elected to axe the project.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Other Illinois providers said their grants for training and prevention programs were being axed.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Mike McDaniel got axed after his fourth year with no playoff win.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2026
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Noun
Today, legitimacy, that invisible prop of authority, is endangered like never before, as unjust hierarchies become too visible to ignore, and custodians of the status quo have taken an axe to their own prestige.
—Verb
Trump has cited mortgage fraud allegations in his move to axe Cook, but critics have said the action appears tied to his push for lower interest rates.
—Cite this Entry
“Axe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/axe. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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