as in used
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 cannibalized
During the first billion years of the galaxy, the Milky Way essentially cannibalized many neighboring smaller galaxy-like systems.
—
Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
At the 2025 Emmys, Domingo didn’t disappoint with his innate knack for wearing a bold look without being cannibalized by it.
—Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The flagships seek to take on an upscale aura, and position the high street brand as aspirational to fend off Chinese ultra-fast fashion players such as Shein and Temu, which have cannibalized the low-cost market.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
The rise of sports gambling hasn’t cannibalized existing casino revenue.
—Ethan Hylton, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2025
But with construction having cannibalized approximately 1,200 parking spots, residents in the neighborhoods bordering campus are worried about an influx of vehicles clogging residential streets.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2025
Several years ago, niche review sites began to see their search clicks cannibalized by big brands generating SEO spam to take the top of the search results page.
—Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2025
Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
At the 2025 Emmys, Domingo didn’t disappoint with his innate knack for wearing a bold look without being cannibalized by it.
—Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The flagships seek to take on an upscale aura, and position the high street brand as aspirational to fend off Chinese ultra-fast fashion players such as Shein and Temu, which have cannibalized the low-cost market.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
The rise of sports gambling hasn’t cannibalized existing casino revenue.
—Ethan Hylton, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2025
But with construction having cannibalized approximately 1,200 parking spots, residents in the neighborhoods bordering campus are worried about an influx of vehicles clogging residential streets.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2025
Several years ago, niche review sites began to see their search clicks cannibalized by big brands generating SEO spam to take the top of the search results page.
—Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalized
Verb
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Schmidt warned that without enforcement, these rogue models could spread unchecked and be used for harm by bad actors.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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While initially designed to be used in a rocket artillery system, it was modified to be attached to a first-person-view drone using a wooden stick, wire and duct tape, CAR said.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The process removes indigo dyestuffs from wastewater to obtain indigo concentrate and clean water that can be recycled back into the dye process.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Oct. 2025
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The coating does not contain rare earth minerals or silicon, and can be easily recycled.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cannibalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalized. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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