nationalize

1 of 2

verb

na·​tion·​al·​ize ˈna-sh(ə-)nə-ˌlīz 

nationalized; nationalizing

transitive verb

1

: to give a national character to

2

: to invest control or ownership of in the national government

nationalization

ˌna-sh(ə-)nə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

nationalizer

ˈna-sh(ə-)nə-ˌlī-zər 

noun

nationalization

2 of 2

noun

na·​tion·​al·​iza·​tion

variants also British nationalisation

ˌnashənᵊlə̇ˈzāshən, 

-shnələ̇ˈ-, 

ˌnaash-, 

ˌnaish-, 

-ᵊlˌīˈ-, 

-nəˌlīˈ-

plural -s

: the action or process of nationalizing : the state of being nationalized

the nationalization of culture, taste, mind

—P. W. Kurtz

a bill proposing the nationalization of mines

—C. W. A. Veditz

the Bolsheviks … decreed immediate nationalization and distribution of all the land

—M. W. Straight

Examples of nationalize in a Sentence

Verb

The government nationalized the health-care system in the mid-1950s.

nationalizing the country's oil supply

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Now Betancourt’s company, North American Blue Energy Partners, based in Barbados, could be one of the first private firms to directly participate in Venezuela’s oil industry since it was nationalized half a century ago. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026

Burgess’s view Andrews needs national support but absolutely does not need her race nationalized. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Canada holds substantial deposits of many of the same minerals and has its own critical minerals strategy; Mexico nationalized its lithium reserves in 2022. — Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026

In 1969, amid the green revolution, the government nationalized major commercial banks to expand institutional credit and promote rural development. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nationalize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids 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

nationalization

-ə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

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