ax 1 of 2

noun

ˈaks How to pronounce ax (audio)
variants or axe
Definition of axnext
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
as in to sack
to let go from office, service, or employment the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 plane’s first officer, an Omani man named Hamam al-Hammami, had assaulted the plane’s Indian captain with an emergency axe and steered the aircraft into a nosedive. — Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The Indian captain opened the cockpit door after being attacked with an ax so that passengers could restrain the terrorist co-pilot. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
Netflix is laying off around 1,000 employees, around 6% of its workforce, in what marks the company’s largest axing to date. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Tasting Table also cited the chain's rewards program and its decision to axe the surcharge for dairy-free milk options. — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ax
  1. dismissal
  2. sack
  3. firing
  4. fire
  5. furlough
  6. remove
  7. dismiss
  8. retire
Noun
  • Showers could develop around lunchtime and continue into the afternoon, potentially affecting school dismissal in some neighborhoods.
    — Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Titans announced Elliott’s dismissal on Tuesday but provided no details on the incident that prompted it.
    — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of dismissal
Verb
  • Then the defense picked it up last week, picking off Justin Herbert twice (one was called back) and sacking him four times.
    — Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • When Ole Miss sacked Manning early in the second half and recovered his fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, there was a run on antacids at the concession stands.
    — Mac Engel October 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of sack
Noun
  • Now, his firing triggers a buyout package of around $12 million, according to Yahoo's Ross Dellenger.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The container’s roof opens before launch, allowing the internal launcher to rise into its firing position.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of firing
Verb
  • Less than two weeks after the mines exploded, the North fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile more than 700 kilometers.
    — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Shattered glass littered sidewalks after rioters smashed and looted thousands of shops, torched cars and buildings, and attacked police, who fired tear gas and water cannons.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of fire
Noun
  • Layoffs, unpaid staff furloughs and school closures probably are ahead as the leaders downsize operations.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Pilots, flight attendants and other aviation workers faced pay cuts and furloughs from the decrease in flyers.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of furlough
Verb
  • The full court reheard the case in January 2024, and in October 2024 ruled 9-8 that the NLRB had no power to order the tweet removed, citing the First Amendment.
    — Heather Occhino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, according to a USFWS spokesperson, around 30 million lbs of invasive carp are removed from Midwestern waters each year.
    — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of remove
Verb
  • Ben-Gvir dismisses concerns that such policies would cement Israel’s status as a pariah state.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Lower courts had dismissed the case because Asian American students were not underrepresented at the magnet schools compared with the pool of students that applied.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • Jones retired from the band in 2023 after announcing a battle with Parkinson’s.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Victor Romero, 62, retired from the NYPD 25 years ago, police said.
    — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of retire

Browse Nearby Words

aw-shucks
ax
axed
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Cite this Entry

“Ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ax. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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