ax
noun
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Definition of ax
(Entry 1 of 4)
3 informal
ax
verbDefinition of ax (Entry 2 of 4)
ax
abbreviationDefinition of ax (Entry 3 of 4)
Ax
biographical name
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Definition of Ax (Entry 4 of 4)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for ax
Synonyms: Noun
discharge, dismissal, furlough, layoff, redundancy [chiefly British]
Synonyms: Verb
bounce, can, cashier, discharge, dismiss, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, sack, terminate, turn off
Antonyms: Verb
employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on
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Examples of ax in a Sentence
Noun
the company was hemorrhaging money, so 700 employees would soon be given the axVerb
The boss told him that he had been axed. the boss will ax anyone who leaks company secrets
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
In 1976, two US Army officers were killed in Korea’s demilitarized zone as a group of North Korean soldiers wielding axes and metal pikes attacked US and South Korean soldiers. — BostonGlobe.com, "This day in history," 18 Aug. 2019 His ax handle is a 17-foot-long tree sapling with all of the bark removed. — Deanna Weniger, Twin Cities, "Big sale: MPCA’s 17-foot-tall Paul Bunyan statue auctioned at State Fair," 17 Aug. 2019 Think of it as a three-dimensional version of the origin point in a Cartesian plane, where the X and Y axes cross. — Peter Rubin, WIRED, "Apple Puts the AR in 'Art' (and in 'Transparent Sky-Being')," 16 Aug. 2019 Swords, axes, darts, clubs, feet and fists fly as Xin beats assorted robbers, assassins, soldiers and turncoat generals. — Charles Solomon, Los Angeles Times, "Review: ‘Kingdom’s’ sword-wielding manga heroes go to war in a thrilling flurry of action," 15 Aug. 2019 In one variation, the three arrows are replaced by three axes – suggesting support for the Timbers as well. — Fox News, "Antifa’s ‘Iron Front’ symbol banned by Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders," 11 Aug. 2019 Of course, the axes and hatchets were around because they were needed in an age when people cooked over wood stoves. — Clayton E. Cramer, National Review, "Mass Murder without Guns," 7 Aug. 2019 And inside the shed, a prosecutor said Tuesday, investigators found a machete, an ax and an aluminum baseball bat with traces of what appeared to be blood and fur. — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, "North County man accused of killing 10 captive cats pleads not guilty," 23 July 2019 Another theory, proposed a century ago by a German scholar named Gustaf Kossinna, held that the proto-Indo-Europeans were an ancient race of north Germans—the people who made Corded Ware pots and axes. — Andrew Curry, National Geographic, "The first Europeans weren’t who you might think," 12 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Scoring two goals from his first three starts for Middlesbrough, he was inexplicably axed from the first team - and didn't start another game for 'Boro. — SI.com, "8 Breakout Championship Stars to Watch Closely During the 2019/20 Season," 22 June 2019 Gaine lasted just 16 months on the job before he was surprisingly axed. — Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, "Is the Texans GM job really something Nick Caserio would leave for?," 11 June 2019 The company was never axing the animal-care team, just the public access to it. — Dewayne Bevil, orlandosentinel.com, "Disney World: Return to Rafiki’s Planet Watch includes animation experience," 17 July 2019 But in a shocking turn of events that nobody expected, Rapinoe has been axed from the team for the game against Phil Neville's England - with Christen Press bought into the side. — SI.com, "Megan Rapinoe Shockingly Omitted From USA Lineup for World Cup Semi-Final Clash," 2 July 2019 Motta, an army general, was axed as electricity minister in April by Maduro after a series of nationwide blackouts that left some parts of the country in the dark for weeks. — Washington Post, "Venezuelan ex-electric chief among 2 indicted in US," 27 June 2019 Kiefer Sutherland’s suspenseful political drama was axed by ABC after two seasons, but now finds new life in the streaming universe. — Chuck Barney, Detroit Free Press, "TV highlights for the week of June 2-8," 1 June 2019 In February, Netflix axed the series along with The Punisher, which had just aired its second season. — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, "The Marvel-Netflix Universe’s Final Hero," 14 June 2019 Following Lori Loughlin's alleged involvement in a massive college admissions scam, Netflix reportedly axed all plans for the actress's character, Aunt Becky, to return to the show. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "Candace Cameron Bure Addressed Lori Loughlin’s Exit on ‘Fuller House’ for the First Time," 3 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ax.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.