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
Fidel Castro led Cuba for nearly five decades after the communist revolution in 1959, nationalizing industry on the island and bringing Havana close to the then-Soviet Union before handing power to his brother, Raúl Castro.
—
Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The confrontation was set off in July of 1956, when Egypt’s ruler, Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, a charismatic populist, nationalized the Anglo-French company that had operated the canal since its creation in 1869, during the colonial era.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Surveys prove this country does not want to take voting away from the states to be nationalized.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Of course, Democrats have in the past also tried to nationalize elections, with one onerous example occurring during the Biden administration.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nationalize
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Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The confrontation was set off in July of 1956, when Egypt’s ruler, Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, a charismatic populist, nationalized the Anglo-French company that had operated the canal since its creation in 1869, during the colonial era.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Surveys prove this country does not want to take voting away from the states to be nationalized.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Of course, Democrats have in the past also tried to nationalize elections, with one onerous example occurring during the Biden administration.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nationalize
Cite this Entry
“Nationalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nationalize. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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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