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
Astronomers watched as jets blasting from a black hole cannibalized a blue supergiant companion star.
—
Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2026
No small wonder that Scorcese self-cannibalized the move in several subsequent projects.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
SaaS profit margins may compress and consolidation may follow, but not because AI cannibalized the industry, Kahn explains.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Yeah, streamers have really cannibalized the romcom genre.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
Investors will also be watching for signs of ongoing search growth, and indications that AI hasn’t cannibalized the company’s core business.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Having cannibalized what’s there, Musk wants to use his chatbot to remake the media, internet, and universe of knowledge to his liking.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
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
Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2026
No small wonder that Scorcese self-cannibalized the move in several subsequent projects.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
SaaS profit margins may compress and consolidation may follow, but not because AI cannibalized the industry, Kahn explains.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Yeah, streamers have really cannibalized the romcom genre.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
Investors will also be watching for signs of ongoing search growth, and indications that AI hasn’t cannibalized the company’s core business.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
Having cannibalized what’s there, Musk wants to use his chatbot to remake the media, internet, and universe of knowledge to his liking.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalized
Verb
-
Two snakes, believed to be cobras, were used in the show, officials said.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Today, the same tools are being used by state actors for geopolitical propaganda.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rather than sitting in landfills when a site is decommissioned, most of the materials used in solar panels can be recycled (though the process can be costly).—
Anna Clark,
ProPublica,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The two organizations have been collaborating to design and build a pipeline to provide water and recycled water to the tribal reservation.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cannibalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalized. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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