privatize

American  

[prahy-vuh-tahyz] / ˈpraɪ vəˌtaɪz /

especially British, privatise

verb (used with object)

• privatizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• privatized,
  past participle,  past
• privatizing
  present participle

1. to transfer from public or government control or ownership to private enterprise.

   a campaign promise to privatize some of the public lands.

2. to make exclusive; delimit or appropriate.

   special-interest groups attempting to privatize social issues.

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privatize British  

/ ˈpraɪvɪˌtaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to transfer (the production of goods or services) from the public sector of an economy into private ownership and operation

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• privatization
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• privatizing
  present
• privatized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• privatize
  simple
• privatizes
  simple
• have privatized
  perfect
• has privatized
  perfect
• am privatizing
  progressive
• are privatizing
  progressive
• is privatizing
  progressive
• have been privatizing
  perfect progressive
• has been privatizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• privatized
  simple
• had privatized
  perfect
• was privatizing
  progressive
• were privatizing
  progressive
• had been privatizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will privatize
  simple
• will have privatized
  perfect
• will be privatizing
  progressive
• will have been privatizing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of privatize

First recorded in 1945–50; private + -ize

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Explanation

To privatize is to switch ownership or control from public, or government-run, to private. The US has a history of deciding to privatize previously government-controlled railroads. If profit making companies took over every school in the country, turning all public schools into private ones, it would privatize education. Most countries have a variety of public and private industries — in the US, the post office, many schools, public universities, and the police, among other services, are in the public sector. If this changed, they would privatize.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

privatize privatizes privatized privatizing

This week, the top council of soccer’s world governing body gathered in Zurich for the first time since his catastrophic plan to privatize part of the World Cup rights blew up over the summer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

In exchange for a promise not to privatize state companies and to hold further talks, the Bolivian Workers' Central union agreed to end their protests.

From Barron's ● Jun. 20, 2026

In particular, one happened when the government was about to privatize the pension system, because the Japanese population is aging and the ratio between the workers and retired people is worsening.

From Salon ● Jun. 14, 2025

Disneyland’s plan to reimagine the theme park into a more “immersive” experience may require up to $2.5 billion and a plan to privatize some Anaheim streets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2024

Alice Manfred had worked hard to privatize her niece, but she was no match for a City seeping music that begged and challenged each and every day.

From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison

As space exploration expands, decentralizes, and privatizes, U.S. regulators and officials urgently need more effective methods of keeping it safe and efficient.

From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2023

Tweeting to your Circle is almost like having a private account, only it privatizes certain tweets instead of limiting access to your entire profile.

From The Verge ● May 28, 2022

Dense landscaping privatizes the backyard, where a brick patio adjoins a swimming pool.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2020

Though the country is one of Europe’s poorest, there is still the potential for profit, particularly as the government privatizes critical assets.

From New York Times ● Dec. 12, 2012

The new federal highway bill partly privatizes road maintenance.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mulder points to British Steel as the poster child: nationalized by Labour in 1951, privatized by Conservatives in 1953, renationalized by Labour in 1967 and reprivatized by Thatcher in 1987.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

“I call this the social welfare state of two. We’ve privatized dependency within marriage.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026

But across the island, small-scale farmers and cooperatives already operate as private entrepreneurs, growing food, managing their own production and selling to local markets, most of which have been privatized.

From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2026

YPF is an emblematic Argentine company founded in the early 20th century as a state-owned entity but it was privatized in 1993 and eventually came under the control of Repsol.

From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026

Back before the agency had been bought by The Corporation and privatized, they’d had adequate seating but great benefits.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

The changes include lifting business restrictions, allowing private banks, and privatizing state companies, but face skepticism about permanence and implementation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

Pregnancy can be privatizing, and it is fitting that it registers in conspicuous consumption.

From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2025

But privatizing it, he said, “would make it even worse.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2025

Experts periodically float ideas like privatizing parts of the service or charging fees for some treatments, which might make people less quick to go to the E.R. for minor health issues.

From New York Times ● Jul. 16, 2023

The government has made substantial macroeconomic   reforms since 2000, most notably privatizing the banking sector.

From The 2007 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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