nationalize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to put (an industry, resources, etc) under state control or ownership
-
to make national in scope, character, or status
-
a less common word for naturalize
Other Word Forms
- antinationalization adjective
- nationalization noun
- nationalizer noun
- nonnationalization noun
- overnationalization noun
- overnationalize verb (used with object)
- renationalization noun
- renationalize verb
- seminationalized adjective
- unnationalized adjective
Etymology
Origin of nationalize
Explanation
To nationalize something is to make it public, or government-run, rather than private. Many countries, including the U.K. and Germany, have acted to nationalize railroads during periods when they faced bankruptcy. In the United States, a relatively recent decision to nationalize an industry occurred after the attacks on September 11, 2001. Before that, security at airports was run by private companies. Afterward, the Transportation Security Administration was founded as a federal agency, nationalizing the security in all airports throughout the country. The original definition of nationalize is "invest with a national character," the way you'd nationalize your house by hanging an American flag on the porch.
Vocabulary lists containing nationalize
Central America and the Caribbean - Introductory
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Middle School
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The Middle East and Central Asia - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To meet that need, Congress enacted the SSI program in 1972 to nationalize the state welfare programs for adults 65 and older and those with disabilities.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026
Miller, a fluent Spanish speaker, was Halliburton’s head of business development in Venezuela when Hugo Chávez was elected president and began to nationalize the country’s energy industry.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026
“The volume, coordination, and repetition signal a deliberate strategy to nationalize a local race by weaponizing bigotry as a turnout engine,” the group’s report says.
From Slate • Nov. 25, 2025
The NFL funds boosted the council’s revenue by 450% year over year, giving the group the firepower to nationalize problem gambling efforts.
From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025
Throughout his public life he never faltered in his devotion to the South, joining hands with alacrity in every measure which sought to nationalize her sectional interest.
From Political Recollections 1840 to 1872 by Julian, George W.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.