expropriation

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noun ex·pro·pri·a·tion \ (ˌ)ek-ˌsprō-prē-ˈā-shən \

Definition of expropriation

:the act of expropriating or the state of being expropriated; specifically :the action of the state in taking or modifying the property rights of an individual in the exercise of its sovereignty

Examples of expropriation in a Sentence

the development of the colony involved expropriation of large tracts of fertile farmland from the natives

Recent Examples of expropriation from the Web

Chavez emerged from the strike and exerted control over the private sector with years of expropriations, strict regulations and imports bought with oil money and meant to replace local production.

— Washington Post, "Venezuela strike erupts into sporadic violence," 20 July 2017
Chavez emerged from the strike and exerted control over the private sector with years of expropriations, strict regulations and imports bought with oil money and meant to replace local production.

— Washington Post, "Venezuela strike erupts into sporadic violence," 20 July 2017
Chavez emerged from the strike and exerted control over the private sector with years of expropriations, strict regulations and imports bought with oil money and meant to replace local production.

— jorge rueda, The Seattle Times, "Venezuela’s Maduro, foes head into crucial showdown," 19 July 2017
U.S. law generally bars civil suits against foreign governments, but two decisions by appeals courts in Washington last year carved out an exception in expropriation cases, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote in an opinion March 31.

— the washington post, The Mercury News, "Germany to appeal first ruling allowing Nazi-looted art claim against it in US court," 14 Apr. 2017
Exxon steadily expanded its Russian business on Tillerson’s watch even as its rivals faced expropriation and regulatory obstacles.

— Honolulu Star-Advertiser, "Trump rejects intel, lawmakers vow probe of Russia hacking," 11 Dec. 2016
The sweeping expropriation of Turkish companies has come in waves.

— yeliz candemir, WSJ, "Turkey’s Crackdown Sweeps Through Business and Finance, Imperiling the Economy," 18 Nov. 2016
But having survived seventeen years of Chavismo—and innumerable threats of expropriation, as the government seized more than a thousand factories and farms—is itself a potent political statement.

— andy borowitz, The New Yorker, "Venezuela, a Failing State," 14 Nov. 2016
Karl-Heinz Grundböck, a spokesman for Mr. Sobotka, said the ministry expected that Parliament would approve the expropriation of the building by the end of the year, and that ownership of the building would then pass to the government.

— melissa eddy, New York Times, "Austria Seeks to Seize, and Possibly Tear Down, Hitler’s House," 18 Oct. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'expropriation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of expropriation

15th century

expropriation Synonyms

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

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See words that rhyme with expropriation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for expropriation Britannica English: Translation of expropriation for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about expropriation

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expropriation

Definition of expropriation

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First Known Use of expropriation

expropriation Synonyms

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