verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈnæʃənəlaɪz/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:N AE1 SH AH0 N AH0 L AY2 Z
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:N AE1 SH N AH0 L AY2 Z
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To make into, or to become, a nation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To bring a private company, or an industry comprising such companies, under the control of a specific government.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US
Examples
Near-synonym: socialize
The government plans to nationalize the energy industry.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: deprivatize, socialize
Antonyms: denationalize, privatize
3
verb
Meaning 3
To bring a concept such as a political issue or commercial campaign to the attention of the entire country.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To change from having local and regional variation to being national in character and scope.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To 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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
put under state control or ownership
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Mitterand nationalized the banks
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: nationalise
Antonyms: denationalize
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
Narrower terms: communize, communise
7
verb
Meaning 7
make national in character or scope
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
His heroic deeds were nationalized by the press
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: nationalise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
History
Etymology
From French nationaliser. By surface analysis, national + -ize.
Across languages
Translations
41 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
أَمَّمَ
(ʔammama)
— to make a private asset public
Armenian:
ազգայնացնել
(azgaynacʻnel)
— to make a private asset public
Armenian:
պետականացնել
(petakanacʻnel)
— to make a private asset public
Belarusian:
нацыяналізава́ць
(nacyjanalizavácʹ)
— to make a private asset public
Bulgarian:
национализи́рам
(nacionalizíram)
— to make a private asset public
Burmese:
ပြည်သူပိုင်သိမ်း
(pranysupuingsim:)
— to make a private asset public
Chinese Mandarin:
國有化 /国有化
(guóyǒuhuà)
— to make a private asset public
Czech:
znárodňovat
— to make a private asset public
Czech:
znárodnit
— to make a private asset public
Esperanto:
ŝtatigi
— to make a private asset public
Finnish:
kansallistaa
— to make a private asset public
French:
nationaliser
— to make a private asset public
German:
nationalisieren
— to make a private asset public
German:
verstaatlichen
— to make a private asset public
Greek:
κρατικοποιώ
(kratikopoió)
— to make a private asset public
Hungarian:
államosít
— to make a private asset public
Ido:
nacionaligar
— to make a private asset public
Japanese:
国有化する
(kokuyūka suru)
— to make a private asset public
Korean:
국유화하다
(gugyuhwahada)
— to make a private asset public
Kyrgyz:
улутташтыруу
(uluttaştıruu)
— to make a private asset public
Macedonian:
национализи́ра
(nacionalizíra)
— to make a private asset public
Malay:
milik negarakan
— to make a private asset public
Malay:
nasionalisasikan
— to make a private asset public
Polish:
nacjonalizować
— to make a private asset public
Polish:
znacjonalizować
— to make a private asset public
Polish:
unaradawiać
— to make a private asset public
Polish:
unarodowić
— to make a private asset public
Polish:
upaństwawiać
— to make a private asset public
Polish:
upaństwowić
— to make a private asset public
Portuguese:
estatizar
— to make a private asset public
Portuguese:
nacionalizar
— to make a private asset public
Russian:
национализи́ровать
(nacionalizírovatʹ)
— to make a private asset public
Slovak:
znárodňovať
— to make a private asset public
Slovak:
znárodniť
— to make a private asset public
Swedish:
förstatliga
— to make a private asset public
Swedish:
nationalisera
— to make a private asset public
Swedish:
socialisera
— to make a private asset public
Ukrainian:
націоналізува́ти
(nacionalizuváty)
— to make a private asset public
Ukrainian:
націоналізо́вувати
(nacionalizóvuvaty)
— to make a private asset public
Vietnamese:
quốc hữu hoá
— to make a private asset public
Walloon:
nåcionålijhî
— to make a private asset public
