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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Recent Examples of cannibalizes
But if the workforce can’t scale with those policies, the policy just cannibalizes itself.
—
Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalizes
Verb
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This particular system uses an underground connecting cable between two passenger cabins.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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Mollick uses one set of models for coding, and another for editorial help—common among power users.—
Tharin Pillay,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Leaving leaves on the ground provides shelter for insects and recycles nutrients into the soil.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
17 Oct. 2025
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The province was the first in North America to adopt an Extended Producer Responsibility system and now captures and recycles more than 80 percent of the packaging that enters its markets.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cannibalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalizes. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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