imperialize

The king sought to imperialize the neighboring lands.

Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To bring under imperial control: "imperialize" means to make a territory, nation, or political entity part of an empire or to place it under imperial authority.
   • To impose imperial characteristics: to cause a government, culture, or society to adopt the features or policies of an empire, such as centralized authority or expansionist ambitions.

Usage Examples

• To bring under imperial control:

  • The colonial government sought to imperialize the newly conquered regions. (They aimed to integrate these areas into the empire's structure.)
  • Attempts to imperialize independent states often lead to resistance. (Efforts to place them under imperial rule provoke opposition.)

• To impose imperial characteristics:

  • The regime tried to imperialize its economy by centralizing trade and production. (They made the economy resemble that of an empire.)
  • Some historians argue that modern global corporations imperialize local markets. (They dominate and reshape them in a manner similar to imperial control.)

Advanced Usage

• "to imperialize a polity": to transform a political system into an imperial one, often by expanding its authority over other regions.

  • The emperor's decree aimed to imperialize the federation, merging its member states into a single empire. (The decree sought to unify them under imperial rule.)

• "to imperialize culture": to spread imperial values, language, or customs across a society.

  • The educational system was used to imperialize the indigenous population, replacing local traditions with imperial norms. (It imposed imperial cultural standards.)

Variants and Related Words

• Imperialization (noun): the process of making something imperial.

  • The imperialization of the region took decades. (The process of bringing it under imperial control was lengthy.)

• Imperial (adj): relating to an empire or emperor.

  • The imperial palace was grand and imposing. (Belonging to the empire's ruler.)

• Imperialist (noun/adj): a person or policy supporting empire-building.

  • He was a staunch imperialist who advocated for expansion. (He supported imperial policies.)

Synonyms

• Colonize: to settle and establish control over a territory.
  • The empire sought to colonize the distant islands. (To bring them under its direct rule.)
• Dominate: to exert control or influence over.
  • The powerful nation tried to dominate its neighbors. (To control them, though not always through formal empire.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Imperialize over: (rare) to extend imperial rule across an area.
  • The dynasty imperialized over vast lands. (It brought them under its authority.)

Related Idioms

• "To play the imperial card": to use imperial ambitions or rhetoric as a political strategy.

  • The leader played the imperial card to rally nationalist support. (He invoked imperial ideas to gain popularity.)

• "To wear the imperial crown": to assume the role or authority of an emperor.

  • After the conquest, he wore the imperial crown and ruled the new territories. (He became the emperor over them.)