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

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
Both the Armenians, for whom Surp Giragos is an important cultural touchstone, and the Kurds have discerned a hidden agenda in the expropriations.

— ceylan yeginsu, New York Times, "Turkey’s Seizure of Churches and Land Alarms Armenians", 23 Apr. 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.