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
na·tion·al·iz·er
variants
also British nationaliser
-ze(r)
plural -s
: one that advocates nationalization
the English railway nationalizers proposed that the state should own the lines—
Contemporary Review
Contemporary ReviewExamples 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
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
Allow that industry to be nationalized, and the left will soon target others, destroying our economy and our personal liberty.
—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
8 June 2026
In April 1951 the reformist politician Mohammed Mossadegh became the country’s premier, with a mandate to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, the British corporate giant that controlled Iran’s oil production.
—
Andrew Arsan,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
While Keiko has been offering to attract more foreign investment by cutting red tape, Sánchez initially promised to nationalize large sectors of the economy and to replace imports with local production — an economic policy reminiscent of Cuba or North Korea.
—
Simeon Tegel,
NPR,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for nationalize
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Verb
The cost of nationalizing the water industry alone would cost £100 billion ($132 billion), according to an estimate by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
Allow that industry to be nationalized, and the left will soon target others, destroying our economy and our personal liberty.
—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
8 June 2026
In April 1951 the reformist politician Mohammed Mossadegh became the country’s premier, with a mandate to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, the British corporate giant that controlled Iran’s oil production.
—
Andrew Arsan,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
While Keiko has been offering to attract more foreign investment by cutting red tape, Sánchez initially promised to nationalize large sectors of the economy and to replace imports with local production — an economic policy reminiscent of Cuba or North Korea.
—
Simeon Tegel,
NPR,
6 June 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 29 Jun. 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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