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
While many tech giants have risen and fallen — from Digital Equipment Corporation to Yahoo to BlackBerry — Microsoft has navigated multiple technological revolutions by making strategic pivots and occasionally cannibalizing its own successful products.
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Jackie Snow, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025
What’s interesting about music’s growth is that innovation hasn’t cannibalized older revenue streams.
—Kristin Westcott Grant, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Aron had company at CinemaCon, where exhibition executives argued the new distribution models cannibalize their business.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 4 Apr. 2025
In comments at the Morgan Stanley media conference, the Fox CEO was again extremely careful to stress that the goal is not to cannibalize linear television and Fox will not advertise it on linear television but is meant purely to capture those who cut the cord or have never subscribed to cable.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cannibalize
Jackie Snow, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025
What’s interesting about music’s growth is that innovation hasn’t cannibalized older revenue streams.
—Kristin Westcott Grant, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Aron had company at CinemaCon, where exhibition executives argued the new distribution models cannibalize their business.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 4 Apr. 2025
In comments at the Morgan Stanley media conference, the Fox CEO was again extremely careful to stress that the goal is not to cannibalize linear television and Fox will not advertise it on linear television but is meant purely to capture those who cut the cord or have never subscribed to cable.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cannibalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalize
Verb
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Mangione handed arriving officers a fake New Jersey ID that was used at the New York City hostel days earlier and was subsequently arrested.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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The bonus will also be available to use for Game 3 between the Lakers and Timberwolves in Minnesota.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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With 430 million tons of plastic waste generated annually and less than 10% of it recycled, the plastic crisis is out of control.—
Tim Clark,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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The company had met its zero-waste promise by the end of 2021, with its packaging fully recycled, recyclable or reusable.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cannibalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalize. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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