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
The most high-profile landmark may be the home of Lizzie Borden, who was acquitted of murdering her parents with an axe. Steph Solis, Axios, 24 Mar. 2025 In his pursuit to find the one who killed Hector Ayala (Kamar de los Reyes) with a bullet emblazoned with the Punisher's skull insignia, Charlie Cox's blind attorney tracks down the Punisher himself — who nearly hacks off his head with an axe. Nick Romano, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
Instead of redoubling decarbonization efforts, the U.S. and the European Union are rolling back climate laws, Canada is axing the consumer carbon tax, China and India are continuing to build coal plants, and corporations are exiting net zero climate commitments. Nives Dolsak and Aseem Prakash, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 The Department of Veterans Affairs axed gender affirming care for transgender veterans, the latest in the Trump administration's push to eradicate trans-inclusive policies from the federal government. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
Noun
  • The dismissal of Malone could prove to be a turning point for the Nuggets—either sparking a resurgence or further unraveling their season.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Those challenging the dismissals argued that OPM didn't have the authority to order firings.
    Christina Gatti, NPR, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Also sacked Thursday was Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, who led both the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command, and his deputy, Wendy Noble, who has reportedly been reassigned within the Pentagon.
    Colin Meyn, The Hill, 4 Apr. 2025
  • He was sacked a whopping 68 times, with the next highest being C.J. Stroud with 52.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • There were already 400 UAW members on indefinite furlough in Kokomo even before Monday’s layoffs.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Then came a cost of living crisis fueled by the war in Ukraine and governments increasing taxes to cover the cost of furlough payments during the pandemic.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Continue reading … 'KNIVES OUT' – Former 'Scream' director left film over death threats after anti-Israel actress firing.
    FOXNews.com, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The person calling claimed a friend had fired shots at a Black adult female at 7:05 p.m., and that two suspects were at the location wearing all black.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Following the act of protest, the referee of the University of Maryland match -- which was not an NCAA tournament -- issued a black card to Turner, removing her from the competition.
    Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Respect the complexity enough to remove it from your communication.
    TK Keanini, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Stocks temporarily jumped on speculation of a possibly delay in the tariffs, but the White House later dismissed talk of a pause.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
  • In film school, games and anime aren’t celebrated, they’re dismissed.
    Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • At least 24,000 probationary employees have been terminated since Trump took office, the lawsuits claim, though the government has not confirmed that number.
    Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The lawsuits allege that at least 24,000 probationary employees have been terminated since Trump took office, but the government has not confirmed that number.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • McFarland previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges related to the disastrous first Fyre Festival and was released from prison in 2022 after serving less than four years.
    Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Of the 83 songs featured on these seven albums, 74 have never been released in any form.
    Justin Porter, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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