1. to reduce to a skeleton or bare framework by removing flesh, leaves, or other material
2. to reduce something to its essential or basic structure

Examples

• The insects will skeletonize the leaves, leaving only the veins.
• Time and weather had skeletonized the old wooden fence.
• The budget cuts will skeletonize the department’s operations.
• Beetles can completely skeletonize a carcass in days.
• The company decided to skeletonize its workforce during the recession.
• Acid rain began to skeletonize the forest canopy.
• The editor asked her to skeletonize the lengthy report.