nationalize

verb

na·​tion·​al·​ize ˈna-sh(ə-)nə-ˌlīz How to pronounce nationalize (audio)
nationalized; nationalizing

transitive verb

1
: to give a national character to
2
: to invest control or ownership of in the national government
nationalization noun
nationalizer noun

Examples of nationalize in a Sentence

The government nationalized the health-care system in the mid-1950s. nationalizing the country's oil supply
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As a result, these mines either passed into the hands of more efficient operators or were nationalized. Vitaliy Goncharuk, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 Months later, the Kremlin nationalized the local assets of French yogurt maker Danone and Danish brewer Carlsberg. Anna Cooban, CNN, 1 Mar. 2025 Researchers at the London School of Economics have identified more than 200 Russian court rulings to nationalize private companies since the start of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Nataliya Vasilyeva, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025 In sharp contrast, well, maybe not that sharp, socialism is an economic system in which the government nationalizes all the factors of production. Walter E Block, Orange County Register, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nationalize

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nationalize was in 1799

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nationalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationalize. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

nationalize

verb
na·​tion·​al·​ize ˈnash-nəl-ˌīz How to pronounce nationalize (audio)
-ən-ᵊl-
nationalized; nationalizing
1
: to make national
2
: to remove from private ownership and place under government control
nationalize railroads
nationalization noun

Legal Definition

nationalize

transitive verb
na·​tion·​al·​ize ˈna-shə-nə-ˌlīz How to pronounce nationalize (audio)
nationalized; nationalizing
: to invest control or ownership of in the national government

More from Merriam-Webster on nationalize

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