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
Regardless of whether the tree is burnt down, axed, or damaged, the root mother will continue to send up new shoots. Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025 Channel 4 has axed Ben Wheately’s zombie comedy horror Generation Z after one season. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
Noun
  • The defendants will answer Gastineau’s complaint and motion for its dismissal.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Ebert’s dismissal of the majority of ’80s slasher movies, and the moralization attached to that, has been a sticking point among fans of the genre.
    Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 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
  • 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
  • There were already 400 UAW members on indefinite furlough in Kokomo even before Monday’s layoffs.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Perhaps their best chance of winning the Europa League came in 2012-13, when Gareth Bale helped fire them to a then-best Premier League points tally, but Andre Villas-Boas’ side couldn’t overcome Swiss outfit Basel (featuring a young Mohamed Salah) in the quarter-finals.
    Elias Burke, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Note that synthetic data is not about replacing real data but augmenting it to remove bottlenecks and drive AI innovation.
    Aditi Godbole, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • There were no survivors, and all six bodies were being removed from the scene, National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman confirmed at a news conference the next day.
    Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 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
  • 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
  • Electoral authorities reported voter participation of more than 80% and planned to release initial results within two hours.
    Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The Glory in Your Story: Activating a Fearless Faith to Change Your Life, Your Career, and the World, is set to release on April 15, wherever books are sold.
    Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 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 22 Apr. 2025.

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