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
Those conversations have been nixed by concerns about what privatizing Pinnacol would mean for workers and employers who rely on it for insurance coverage — and, indeed, if the state could even tap into money from the spin-off.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
Privatization has always been an option The idea of privatizing parts of the aviation system isn’t new.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
After the partial government shutdown led to more than a week of unfathomably long TSA wait times at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International airport, Atlanta City Councilman Byron Amos wants to explore privatizing airport security.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Could South Milwaukee’s recent decision to privatize its garbage pickup affect the outcome of a referendum to increase funding for the city’s library?
—Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for privatize
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Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2026
Privatization has always been an option The idea of privatizing parts of the aviation system isn’t new.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
After the partial government shutdown led to more than a week of unfathomably long TSA wait times at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International airport, Atlanta City Councilman Byron Amos wants to explore privatizing airport security.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Could South Milwaukee’s recent decision to privatize its garbage pickup affect the outcome of a referendum to increase funding for the city’s library?
—Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for privatize
Cite this Entry
“Privatize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privatize. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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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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