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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 cannibalize
The Hubble Space Telescope's recent deep-dive into Andromeda has been able to track the disorder in M31 that the merger left in its wake: streams of stars cannibalized from the galaxy eaten by M31 and producing a burst of star formation.
—
Keith Cooper, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The old Pac-12 cannibalized itself right out of the four-team playoff annually.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
While some aldermen and state legislators have pointed to the terminals as a relatively painless revenue source, opponents have argued that the change would cannibalize business at the city casino, where a portion of the revenues is dedicated to paying down police and fire pension costs.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Efficiency improvements that reduce billable hours directly cannibalize revenue.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cannibalize
Keith Cooper, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The old Pac-12 cannibalized itself right out of the four-team playoff annually.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 3 July 2025
While some aldermen and state legislators have pointed to the terminals as a relatively painless revenue source, opponents have argued that the change would cannibalize business at the city casino, where a portion of the revenues is dedicated to paying down police and fire pension costs.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Efficiency improvements that reduce billable hours directly cannibalize revenue.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cannibalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalize
Verb
-
Residents can also use AirNow, a part of the U.S. Air Quality Index, and check local conditions by searching their ZIP Code or city.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
31 July 2025
-
Blue Ghost Mission 2, scheduled for 2026, will also use Firefly’s Elytra Dark transfer vehicle and Blue Ghost lunar lander.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
Verb
-
Created at manufacture, this immutable record of ownership and service history authenticates items for resale, dismantles counterfeit markets and provides auditable proof of recycling.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
-
Having a global standard will allow countries to work together along the plastic waste chain to promote a more circular system of reuse and recycling at every stage of life for plastics.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cannibalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalize. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share