cannibalizes

present tense third-person singular of cannibalize
as in uses
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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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 cannibalizes Terrified of losing speculative momentum, Google threw its immense cash reserves into an arms race that actively cannibalizes its own business model. Sunil Sharan, Fortune, 27 May 2026 To some extent, the cool commercial logic of the fashion industry—which transforms beautiful, original works into cheaply reproducible goods, season after season—echoes that of Hollywood, which regularly cannibalizes and, yes, franchises its greatest successes. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026 But if the workforce can’t scale with those policies, the policy just cannibalizes itself. Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalizes
Verb
  • Thankfully, the bathroom lines at Venice intermissions are not too long, as 70 percent of the audience uses the opportunity to duck out and have a smoke.
    Nate Jones, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • It’s powered by a lithium-ion battery and uses two drive motors and a pair of bulldozer-style treads to navigate the floor, walls, and waterline of your pool.
    John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Pothole Heroes uses an infrared asphalt restoration process that recycles existing pavement.
    Jane Imbody, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The organization recycles glass into sand for coastal restoration and cullet to manufacture new bottles.
    Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cannibalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalizes. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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