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

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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
As Trump passes the 60-day mark of his second term, he’s taken an axe to many long-standing federal agencies, cutting hundreds of thousands of jobs and upending programs both domestically and internationally for cost-saving benefits. Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 27 Mar. 2025 The Trump Administration could trim twigs from its org chart, or take an axe and lop off entire limbs, erasing whole offices. David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
Lopez’s committee on Thursday also rolled out a budget proposal for agencies, including the Department of Management Services, that targeted Allende’s salary and axed the positions of a handful of his top aides. Dara Kam, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025 By February 2024, the airline had axed its entire schedule to Tulum. Zach Wichter, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
Noun
  • But chipping away at central bank independence, as Trump appears to be doing with his open criticism of the Fed chair and implicit threats of dismissal, is a historically sure way to high inflation.
    Ana Carolina Garriga, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The order included full pardons of those already sentenced, commutations of sentences of 14 Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and the dismissal of all pending cases.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The city was sacked again — this time by the Turks — and incorporated into the Ottoman Empire.
    Danuta Hamlin, FOXNews.com, 13 Apr. 2025
  • At the crossroads of Roman roads in ancient Gaul, Cassel was sacked by the Vikings in the late 9th century, and later became a 17th-century war prize fought over by France and Spain.
    Mary Winston Nicklin, AFAR Media, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Having a clear message, even one that feels polarizing, has served the brand well, as has a prudent application of furlough, to the tune of one week every two months, of 15 percent of its workforce in a bid to keep talents in the company while saving costs.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Failure to agree on a deal by Friday at midnight would have resulted in federal workers going on furlough and not receiving pay, while nonessential government functions would have been put on pause.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Remembering Molly Elliott, killed by Louisiana Death Row inmate Their killer is facing execution by firing squad.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • To understand why, consider the Stinger: a surface-to-air missile with infrared capabilities to home in on targets but that is lightweight and shoulder fired.
    MICHAEL BROWN, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Federal Judge William Sessions temporarily barred the government from removing Mahdawi from Vermont on Monday.
    Joe Walsh, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Quantum internet removes that risk by ensuring only the sender and receiver can read a message, so not even the hosting platform can access it.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Heyman dismissed fans on social media who have failed to give Rollins his flowers, saying he’s seen pro wrestlers fail in the ring and seen praise on social media for them while others spout nonsense while ignoring historical facts.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • On March 4, the day the order to show cause was to be heard, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Support for the World Food Program Continues, while Funds Benefiting Terrorist Groups Ends USAID has terminated less than 15% of WFP awards, maintaining over 100 active programs with WFP, a key partner.
    Ted Koppel, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2025
  • At least 47 grants that NCI awarded were terminated in the first month.
    Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • With McCaffrey sharing carries with Stewart as a rookie, the Panthers made the playoffs in 2017 before releasing Stewart a couple of months later.
    Joseph Person, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The president is not required to release the results of his annual physical exam, according to the Associated Press.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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