Definition

1. Verb:
   • To transfer ownership or control of an industry, business, or asset from private to state ownership: This is the primary economic and political meaning of "nationalize." It involves the government taking over a private enterprise.
   • To make something national in character or scope: This meaning involves giving something a national identity or significance, often in a cultural or symbolic context.

Usage and Examples

• Verb (Transfer to state control):
  • The government decided to nationalize the country's railway system.
  • After the revolution, the new regime moved to nationalize the oil industry.
• Verb (Make national in character):
  • The media campaign sought to nationalize the local hero's story, making him a symbol for the entire country.
  • Certain historical events are nationalized to foster a sense of shared identity.

Advanced Usage

• "to be nationalized": Describes the state of having been taken over by the government.
  • The steel company was nationalized in the 1970s.
• The process or policy of nationalizing industries is called nationalization (noun).

Variants and Related Words

• Nationalization (noun): The act or process of nationalizing.
  • The nationalization of the banks was a controversial policy.
• Nationalised/Nationalized (adjective, past participle): Describing an industry under state control.
  • The nationalised healthcare system provides universal coverage.
• Renationalize (verb): To nationalize again, often after a period of privatization.
• Denationalize/Privatize (verb, antonym): To transfer from state to private ownership.

Synonyms

• State takeover: The act of assuming state control.
• Socialize (in an economic context): To bring under state control, especially as a socialist policy.
• Expropriate: To take property from its owner for public use or benefit, often without compensation (can be a more specific or forceful term).

Antonyms

• Privatize: To transfer from state to private ownership.
• Denationalize: To remove from state control; often synonymous with privatize.

Related Phrases and Contexts

• Nationalized industry: An industry owned and operated by the state.
  • He worked for a nationalized industry for his entire career.
• The term is often used in discussions about economic policy, socialism, and resource management. The opposite policy is privatization.

Verb

1. make national in character or scope
   • His heroic deeds were nationalized by the press
2. put under state control or ownership
   • Mitterand nationalized the banks