What does communize mean?
Communize is a verb meaning to bring property, industries, or an entire economy under common or state ownership, particularly as part of building a communist system. The term gained prominence in the twentieth century, when it was used to describe the sweeping nationalizations carried out by the Soviet Union, China, and other states that abolished private ownership of land, factories, and resources. Beyond its political sense, communize can be used more broadly to describe making anything communal — shared collectively by a group rather than held individually. The word derives from 'commune' and ultimately from the Latin 'communis', meaning common or shared, the same root that gives us words like community and communicate. Because of its direct association with revolutionary politics, the word carries strong ideological weight and appears most often in historical writing, journalism, and political debate rather than casual speech. It pairs naturally with terms such as nationalize and collectivize, though those alternatives can imply less radical forms of state control than full communization.
To convert private property, industry, or an entire economy into collective or state ownership, especially under a communist system.
"The regime moved to communize agriculture within five years."
Most often used in historical or political contexts describing 20th-century state policies.
To make something communal; to place a resource or practice under shared rather than individual control.
"The co-op voted to communize its equipment so every member had access."
A broader, less politically charged sense used in discussions of cooperatives and communes.
Communize and communicate come from the same Latin root — one word for sharing ideas, another for sharing everything else.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of communize
Communize was formed in the nineteenth century from the noun 'commune' combined with the verb-forming suffix '-ize', during the era when modern socialist and communist movements were taking shape in Europe. Its ultimate root is the Latin adjective 'communis', meaning 'common' or 'shared by all', which also underlies English words such as common, communal, and community. The verb entered widespread use as revolutions and state-led collectivizations made the concept a fixture of political vocabulary.
Related word forms
How communize is actually used
Communize is largely formal or historical in register, appearing most often in political history and commentary about 20th-century regimes. It typically carries strong ideological connotations and is rarely used in everyday conversation. The spelling with -ize is standard in both British and American English.
Easily confused with communize
Communicate means to share or exchange information; communize means to place property or resources under common ownership.