nationalize
verb
na·tion·al·ize
ˈna-sh(ə-)nə-ˌlīz 
nationalized; nationalizing
1
: to give a national character to
2
: to invest control or ownership of in the national government
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
Born in 1949 to Cuban parents in Argentina, his family became exiles in 1959 when the Cuban government nationalized businesses after Fidel Castro’s revolution, eventually landing in Colombia.
—
Giacomo Tognini, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
In Los Angeles, Trump took the unusual step of nationalizing units of the California National Guard and also sent in U.S. Marines over the objections of Gavin Newsom, the state's Democratic governor.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 16 June 2025
Tokyo nationalized the islands in 2012, drawing strong protest from Beijing, which has since progressively stepped up patrols by its increasingly assertive coast guard—moves Japan sees as attempts to alter the status quo.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
After Fidel Castro seized power during the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Cuba’s utility company became nationalized.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nationalize
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Giacomo Tognini, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
In Los Angeles, Trump took the unusual step of nationalizing units of the California National Guard and also sent in U.S. Marines over the objections of Gavin Newsom, the state's Democratic governor.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 16 June 2025
Tokyo nationalized the islands in 2012, drawing strong protest from Beijing, which has since progressively stepped up patrols by its increasingly assertive coast guard—moves Japan sees as attempts to alter the status quo.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
After Fidel Castro seized power during the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Cuba’s utility company became nationalized.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nationalize
Cite this Entry
“Nationalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationalize. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nationalize
verb
na·tion·al·ize
ˈnash-nəl-ˌīz
-ən-ᵊl-
nationalized; nationalizing
1
: to make national
2
: to remove from private ownership and place under government control
nationalize railroads
Legal Definition
nationalize
transitive verb
na·tion·al·ize
ˈna-shə-nə-ˌlīz
nationalized; nationalizing
: to invest control or ownership of in the national government
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