nationalize

N1A1T1I1O1N1A1L1I1Z10E1
/ˈnæʃənəlaɪz/

verb

To make into, or to become, a nation.

“Near-synonym: socialize”

Similar
deprivatizesocializenationalise
Opposite
denationalizeprivatize
OriginFrench nationaliser →
UncommonScrabble 20
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Meanings

verbnationalize (third-person singular simple present nationalizes, present participle nationalizing, simple past and past participle nationalized)

present singular third person nationalizes · participle present nationalizing · participle past nationalized · past nationalized · alternative nationalise

  1. BritishEnglishOxfordUSrareTo make into, or to become, a nation.

    Probably no Hindu who could make intelligent use of political freedom ever dreams of the present possibility of a nationalized India, […]

    1910, History for Ready Reference from the Best Historians, page 316
  2. BritishEnglishOxfordUSTo bring a private company, or an industry comprising such companies, under the control of a specific government.

    Near-synonym: socialize

    1 more example

    The government plans to nationalize the energy industry.

    Synonyms: deprivatize, socialize · Antonyms: denationalize, privatize

  3. BritishEnglishOxfordUSTo bring a concept such as a political issue or commercial campaign to the attention of the entire country.
  4. BritishEnglishOxfordUSgovernmentTo change from having local and regional variation to being national in character and scope.
  5. BritishEnglishOxfordUSarchaicTo make national; to make a nation of; to endow with the character and habits of a nation, or the peculiar sentiments and attachment of citizens of a nation.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo bring a private company, or an industry comprising such companies, under the control of a specific government.

Similar
deprivatizesocialize
Opposite
denationalizeprivatize

More synonyms by meaning

verbput under state control or ownership

Similar
nationalise
Opposite
denationalize
Broader
changealtermodify

verbmake national in character or scope

Similar
nationalise
Broader
changealtermodify
Also see
deprivatizesocialize

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchnationaliser
  2. Englishnationalize

From French nationaliser. By surface analysis, national + -ize.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic أَمَّمَ
  • أَمَّمَ (ʔammama)to make a private asset public
Bulgarian национализи́рам
  • национализи́рам (nacionalizíram)to make a private asset public
Chinese Mandarin 國有化 /国有化
  • 國有化 /国有化 (guóyǒuhuà)to make a private asset public
Czech znárodňovat, znárodnit
  • znárodňovatto make a private asset public
  • znárodnitto make a private asset public
Esperanto ŝtatigi
  • ŝtatigito make a private asset public
Finnish kansallistaa
  • kansallistaato make a private asset public
French nationaliser
  • nationaliserto make a private asset public
German nationalisieren, verstaatlichen
  • nationalisierento make a private asset public
  • verstaatlichento make a private asset public
Greek κρατικοποιώ
  • κρατικοποιώ (kratikopoió)to make a private asset public
Hungarian államosít
  • államosítto make a private asset public
Italian nazionalizzare
  • nazionalizzareto make a private asset public
Japanese 国有化する
  • 国有化する (kokuyūka suru)to make a private asset public
Korean 국유화하다
  • 국유화하다 (gugyuhwahada)to make a private asset public
Malay milik negarakan, nasionalisasikan
  • milik negarakanto make a private asset public
  • nasionalisasikanto make a private asset public
Polish nacjonalizować, znacjonalizować
  • nacjonalizowaćto make a private asset public
  • znacjonalizowaćto make a private asset public
  • unaradawiaćto make a private asset public
  • unarodowićto make a private asset public
  • upaństwawiaćto make a private asset public
  • upaństwowićto make a private asset public
Portuguese estatizar, nacionalizar
  • estatizarto make a private asset public
  • nacionalizarto make a private asset public
Russian национализи́ровать
  • национализи́ровать (nacionalizírovatʹ)to make a private asset public
Slovak znárodňovať, znárodniť
  • znárodňovaťto make a private asset public
  • znárodniťto make a private asset public
Spanish nacionalizar
  • nacionalizarto make a private asset public
Swedish förstatliga, nationalisera
  • förstatligato make a private asset public
  • nationaliserato make a private asset public
  • socialiserato make a private asset public
Ukrainian націоналізува́ти, націоналізо́вувати
  • націоналізува́ти (nacionalizuváty)to make a private asset public
  • націоналізо́вувати (nacionalizóvuvaty)to make a private asset public
Vietnamese quốc hữu hoá
  • quốc hữu hoáto make a private asset public
Welsh gwladoli, cenedlaetholi
  • gwladolito make a private asset public
  • cenedlaetholito make a private asset public
  • nasiynolito make a private asset public
Cite this entry
APA

nationalize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nationalize

MLA

“nationalize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nationalize. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nationalize,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nationalize.

Source: nationalize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.