on the chopping block
idiom
informal
: likely to be fired, removed, or eliminated, etc.
There were several government programs on the chopping block.
Examples of on the chopping block in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The charger funding that was included in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, which is now on the chopping block, was supposed to help fix that.
—
Keith Laing, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
There was a significant sense of uncertainty in the room about which services could be on the chopping block.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
What's next on the chopping block of trendy-rather-than-timeless?
—Heather Bien, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026
That bill already restricts federal student loans from going toward such degrees, but the Indiana bill would go further by putting the degree programs themselves on the chopping block.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the chopping block
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.
Keith Laing, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
There was a significant sense of uncertainty in the room about which services could be on the chopping block.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
What's next on the chopping block of trendy-rather-than-timeless?
—Heather Bien, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026
That bill already restricts federal student loans from going toward such degrees, but the Indiana bill would go further by putting the degree programs themselves on the chopping block.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the chopping block
Cite this Entry
“On the chopping block.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20chopping%20block. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
