privatize

verb

pri·​vat·​ize ˈprī-və-ˌtīz 

privatized; privatizing; privatizes

transitive verb

: 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

privatization

ˌprī-və-tə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

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

More IPOs may be on the cards as Kenya’s government looks to privatize further state assets to fund infrastructure projects. —Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 2026

Kabila had privatized Congo’s mining sector and, in doing so, made fortunes for his family and the people around him. —Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026

We are being billed based on an obsolete business model that privatizes the profits and socializes the costs. —U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026

Polis has also sought — again — to privatize Pinnacol Assurance, the state’s workers’ compensation insurer of last resort. —Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for privatize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Legal Definition

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

privatization

ˌprī-və-tə-ˈzā-shən, -ˌtī- 

noun