as in to use
to remove parts from a machine, car, etc., to repair or build another one
He cannibalized one washing machine to fix another. Many parts of the engine were cannibalized from older cars.
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Recent Examples of cannibalize
Some box office pundits note that some of the films opening this weekend should have been spaced out so as not to cannibalize each other (i.e., Amateur versus Warfare, or King of Kings versus Fathom’s ongoing viewing of episodes from season five of The Chosen: The Last Supper).
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Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 12 Apr. 2025
While public and private not-for-profit universities may be concerned about how this will affect their future enrollment, data does not exist to support arguments that this proposal will cannibalize the market for future students.
—Arne Duncan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
By the mid-1990s, Windows had thoroughly cannibalized the DOS business that had built the company.
—Jackie Snow, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025
It could be looked as boring on one side, but on the other side, the Traitors were cannibalizing each other this entire season.
—Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cannibalize
Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 12 Apr. 2025
While public and private not-for-profit universities may be concerned about how this will affect their future enrollment, data does not exist to support arguments that this proposal will cannibalize the market for future students.
—Arne Duncan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
By the mid-1990s, Windows had thoroughly cannibalized the DOS business that had built the company.
—Jackie Snow, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025
It could be looked as boring on one side, but on the other side, the Traitors were cannibalizing each other this entire season.
—Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cannibalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalize
Verb
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On Wednesday, police in Seattle used pepper spray to clear out protesters, and officers in Denver used smoke and pepper balls to control a crowd.—
Krysta Fauria,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2025
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Shein may be using a partnership to bring goods made in India to its global consumers.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Shoppers can even recycle directly through the brand—send back five empties and get a $25 gift card in return.—
Robyn Merrett,
StyleCaster,
6 June 2025
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As one of the circularity projects, Saudi Arabia recycled more than five tons of them and turned them into 26,000 new ones that are being sold in local shops.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cannibalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalize. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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