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
Many longtime observers believe forcing the lowest seeds to cannibalize themselves in the opening round would strip the main event of its charm and that the mediocre teams from the heavyweight leagues should fill the 12 opening round matchups.
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Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
But owners of the facilities — Long Shots in Frederick, River Boat on the Potomac and GBoone’s in Boonsboro — said the request was about ensuring the survival of the businesses through cooperation with existing casinos, not by cannibalizing the market.
—Bryan P. Sears, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2026
There are only 52 weekends on the calendar, and with 30 movies, the studio would need to strategically place its releases as not to cannibalize its own ticket sales.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
In other words, the risk of cannibalizing the ratings at the local stations likely outweighs the benefits of expanding the race’s streaming reach.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cannibalize
Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
But owners of the facilities — Long Shots in Frederick, River Boat on the Potomac and GBoone’s in Boonsboro — said the request was about ensuring the survival of the businesses through cooperation with existing casinos, not by cannibalizing the market.
—Bryan P. Sears, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2026
There are only 52 weekends on the calendar, and with 30 movies, the studio would need to strategically place its releases as not to cannibalize its own ticket sales.
—Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
In other words, the risk of cannibalizing the ratings at the local stations likely outweighs the benefits of expanding the race’s streaming reach.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cannibalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalize
Verb
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The Jaguars used their first pick of the NFL draft to land the blocking tight end Friday night, grabbing him in the second round with the 56th selection.—
Mark Long,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
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The department’s news release about the fire included a reminder for drivers to use caution when pulling over near dry grass or vegetation.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Target’s popular car seat trade‑in event is back, letting parents recycle old seats and get 20% off a new baby item for a limited time.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
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During reprocessing, spent nuclear fuel is separated to recover uranium and plutonium to recycle it for use in new fuel.—
James Brooks,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cannibalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalize. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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