naturalize

verb

nat·​u·​ral·​ize ˈna-ch(ə-)rə-ˌlīz 

naturalized; naturalizing

transitive verb

1

: to confer the rights of a national on

especially : to admit to citizenship

2

: to introduce into common use or into the vernacular

3

: to bring into conformity with nature

4

: to cause (something, such as a plant) to become established as if native

intransitive verb

: to become established as if native

Examples of naturalize in a Sentence

The government refused to naturalize them without documentation.

naturalized citizens of the U.S.

Several Asian fish have become naturalized in these lakes.

Before you naturalize bulbs in your lawn, fertilize well.

These daisies naturalize well in the Pacific Northwest.

Recent Examples on the Web

Both naturalized citizens and those who are in the country illegally said there is a palpable sense of fear now. —Daniella Silva, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025

Snowdrops readily naturalize and are best planted in drifts along woodland edges or under large trees. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025

Arendt argued that such a view naturalizes anti-Semitism, counterintuitively suggesting its legitimacy. —Daniel May, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025

Between 600,000 and 1 million immigrants have been naturalized as citizens every year since 2015, according to USCIS. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 19 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for naturalize

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

Kids Definition

naturalize

verb

nat·​u·​ral·​ize ˈnach-(ə-)rə-ˌlīz 

naturalized; naturalizing

1

: to introduce into common use

naturalize a foreign word

2

: to become or cause to become established as if native

naturalized weeds

3

: to give the rights and privileges of citizenship to

naturalize a foreign-born person

Legal Definition

naturalize

transitive verb

nat·​u·​ral·​ize ˈna-chə-rə-ˌlīz 

naturalized; naturalizing

: to admit (a person) to citizenship

naturalization

ˌna-chə-rə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun