CANNIBALIZED Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

cannibalized

verb

past tense of cannibalize

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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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 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 Yeah, streamers have really cannibalized the romcom genre. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 Apr. 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 Analysts caution, however, that many of these vehicles are believed to be in storage, maintained at low readiness or cannibalized for parts. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 May 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 SaaS profit margins may compress and consolidation may follow, but not because AI cannibalized the industry, Kahn explains. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026 That Montreal had so much firepower at the top of the lineup, led by 2025 MVP Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and Abby Roque, likely cannibalized some of Desbiens’ MVP case. — Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 16 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cannibalized

Verb

The Hyundai Motor Company used one of the world’s largest sporting stages to showcase its robotics ambitions.

— Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
For instance, in Berkeley, neighbors used CEQA — citing potential noise impact from partying students — to delay, for years, UC Berkeley’s construction of student dorms on People’s Park.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of used

Verb

In the unlikely scenario that your dry cleaner refuses returns, metal or wire hangers can be recycled at most scrap metal facilities.

— Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2026
According to the American Institute of Steel Construction, 98% of structural steel can be recycled for new uses.

— Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Definition of recycled

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“Cannibalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cannibalized. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of cannibalized

verb

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