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 move would take an axe to the already limited number of four-star generals and admirals, as there were just 37 such individuals as of 2023. Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 5 May 2025 The final fight takes the Zorin zeppelin to the very highest spans, where Bond and Zorin duke it out with an axe. EW.com, 24 May 2025
Verb
Dembele had questioned Luis Enrique’s possession-heavy tactics during a team briefing and subsequently reported late for a training session, although a source close to him suggests that he was primarily axed for the trip to the Emirates Stadium in order to send a message to the rest of the squad. Tom Williams, New York Times, 30 May 2025 The Trump administration is laudably committed to rooting out waste across the federal government and axing large and ineffective programs. Ross Marchand, Boston Herald, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
Noun
  • Despite the low scoring, United fans would ideally like to give Amorim time to reshape the squad to his liking, rather than call for his immediate dismissal.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 7 June 2025
  • Despite her persistent efforts to seek help, including documenting her symptoms in detail, Booth continuously faced dismissal from medical professionals.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Paulo Fonseca was sacked in December, while the end of the season saw the club decide to end Sergio Conceicao’s tenure after an eighth-place finish.
    Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Former Porto head coach Conceicao was sacked after just five months in charge on Thursday following a disappointing eighth place finish in Serie A that saw the club miss out on European qualification for 2025-26.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • An emergency motion for temporary furlough filed in federal court on Tuesday, June 10, and obtained by PEOPLE alleges that three officials with the Bureau of Prisons devised a plot to have Kelly killed by a fellow inmate.
    Chris Spargo, People.com, 11 June 2025
  • Kelly’s attorney, Beau B. Brindley, is asking the judge to release him to home detention on a temporary furlough.
    Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 10 June 2025
Verb
  • As well as 479 drones, 20 missiles of various types were fired at different parts of Ukraine, according to the air force, which said the barrage targeted mainly central and western areas of Ukraine.
    Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • Police declared an unlawful assembly and responded by firing tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang concussion rounds toward the crowd.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • Backstage at Georgie’s Alibi Monkey Bar, a popular LGBTQ club in Wilton Manors, Jacob Smith carefully removed his gravity-defying, bejeweled blonde wig and light pink costume.
    Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025
  • Also, remove very old or declining stems back to healthy trunks or to the ground.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Verb
  • Despite seeking help from her local GP, her concerns were initially dismissed.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 6 June 2025
  • Congressional Republicans, many of whom had also grown annoyed with Musk over the last few months, have largely dismissed the billionaire’s fiery opposition to the bill.
    Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Last year, officials agreed to terminate an agreement with the Sweetwater Union School District that had given the public access to Mar Vista’s swimming pool.
    Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
  • Walmart is also terminating some of its employees in Florida and Texas, Bloomberg reported, after a Supreme Court ruling allowed the Trump administration to end temporary protections for certain migrant groups.
    Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • An Arizona murderer was sentenced to life plus 10 years in prison on May 27 after killing a second person only 16 days after he was released in 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona.
    Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2025
  • Generic drugs, which are designed to provide the same therapeutic effects as brand-name ones and are released after their patents expire, account for 90% of all prescriptions in the US.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 3 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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