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.
Inside Cameron Miller's commitment to Wisconsin Under-the-radar recruits eager to showcase their skills on spring camp circuit Could MLB nationalize its media rights? New York Times, 17 May 2024 Guez also associates the image of a timeworn suitcase with the story of his maternal grandparents, who hid in the basement of a church in Lydda in 1948 as their property was nationalized by the new state of Israel. Karen Chernick, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019 The wiring that Amtrak and New Jersey Transit rely on is a bespoke system that was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad nearly a century ago, then run by its successor Penn Central, then handed over to the public after the railroad went broke and was nationalized. Nolan Hicks, Curbed, 9 July 2024 Such vital infrastructure needs to be nationalized rather than used as a PR football for attention-hungry CEOs. Katherine Alejandra Cross, WIRED, 20 Oct. 2022 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

Dictionary Entries Near nationalize

Cite this Entry

“Nationalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationalize. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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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