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
Legislative proposals have fallen short Officials have tried for years to privatize Pinnacol.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Financial markets were deregulated throughout the 1980s, supply chains were further internationalized, and public assets were privatized, hollowing out state capacity.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
There has been a lingering push by some to privatize air traffic control.
—Scott Ramsden, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2026
At an April 16 hearing, TSA Deputy Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill suggested privatizing TSA screenings to avoid future funding lapses and widespread travel disruptions.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for privatize
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Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Financial markets were deregulated throughout the 1980s, supply chains were further internationalized, and public assets were privatized, hollowing out state capacity.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
There has been a lingering push by some to privatize air traffic control.
—Scott Ramsden, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2026
At an April 16 hearing, TSA Deputy Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill suggested privatizing TSA screenings to avoid future funding lapses and widespread travel disruptions.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 18 May 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 2 Jun. 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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