cannibalize

American  

[kan-uh-buh-lahyz] / ˈkæn ə bəˌlaɪz /

especially British, cannibalise

verb (used with object)

cannibalized, cannibalizing

1. to subject to cannibalism.

2. to remove parts, equipment, assets, employees, etc., from (an item, product, or business) in order to use them in another.

   to cannibalize old airplanes for replacement parts.

3. to cut into; cause to become reduced; diminish.

   New products introduced in the next six months will cannibalize sales from established lines.

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verb (used without object)

cannibalized, cannibalizing

1. to act cannibalistically; practice cannibalism.

cannibalize British  

/ ˈkænɪbəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to use (serviceable parts from one machine or vehicle) to repair another, esp as an alternative to using new parts

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Other Word Forms

• cannibalization noun

Etymology

Origin of cannibalize

First recorded in 1940–45; cannibal + -ize

Example Sentences

That said, the plans suggest a vehicle similar to the Model Y, which means Tesla could “partially cannibalize its own sales” if it moves forward with the effort, Nelson told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

The idea that AI won’t cannibalize artists and their work on a massive scale is refreshingly utopian, but in many ways so was the fair itself.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Worries about AI’s ability to cannibalize other areas of tech —particularly software—before moving on to other industries have been weighing on markets this week and last, aside from a brief bounce.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

A farmer who owned a Model T didn’t need a forge or metal lathe to fix his engine; he could simply order a replacement part—or cannibalize one from a wrecked car in a junkyard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

I dread the time when I shall have to cannibalize the recorder.

From The Issahar Artifacts by Bone, Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin)