privatize
verb
pri·vat·ize
ˈprī-və-ˌtīz 
privatized; privatizing; privatizes
: to make private
especially
: to change from public to private control or ownership
privatize an industry
The mayor's threat to privatize trash collection shook things up. —
Jeff Bailey
Jeff Bailey Examples of privatize in a Sentence
The city decided to privatize the municipal power company.
a proposal to privatize the health-care system
Recent Examples on the Web
And while traffic violations haven’t been privatized, Dubai’s new traffic cameras are likely generating predictable incomes that would attract investors.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
In Britain, between 2020 and 2024, a Conservative government renationalized some railway operators that Blair’s predecessor as Prime Minister, the Conservative John Major, had privatized in the nineteen-nineties.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
But some experts say there are solutions that could change the dynamic in relatively short order — either privatize air traffic control or set up a separate government corporation that can run the system.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Some congressional critics allege the president is plotting to privatize Social Security.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for privatize
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Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
In Britain, between 2020 and 2024, a Conservative government renationalized some railway operators that Blair’s predecessor as Prime Minister, the Conservative John Major, had privatized in the nineteen-nineties.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
But some experts say there are solutions that could change the dynamic in relatively short order — either privatize air traffic control or set up a separate government corporation that can run the system.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Some congressional critics allege the president is plotting to privatize Social Security.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for privatize
Cite this Entry
“Privatize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privatize. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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privatize
transitive verb
pri·va·tize
ˈprī-və-ˌtīz
privatized; privatizing
: to make private
especially
: to change (as a business or industry) from public to private control or ownership
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