What does nationalise mean?
To nationalise means to place an industry, business, service, or other asset under state ownership or control. The word is used most often in political and economic discussion, particularly when a government takes a company or sector into public ownership. Nationalisation can be presented as a way to ensure essential services, prevent harmful private monopolies, or redistribute economic power, although it is also frequently associated with controversy, inefficiency, and ideological disagreement. The related noun is nationalisation in British English, while American English usually uses nationalization. The verb can also have the broader meaning of making something national or bringing it under the control of a nation, though this less specific use is less frequent than the familiar political sense. In everyday discussion, nationalise therefore most commonly signals a transfer from private to public control.
verbTo transfer an industry, company, or asset from private ownership to ownership or control by the state. It can also mean to bring something under the authority or control of the nation.
- To transfer ownership or control of a company, industry, service, or asset from private hands to the state.
"The government decided to nationalise the railway after years of declining service."
"The new administration pledged to nationalise the country's energy companies."
"Several commentators argued that the essential transport system should be nationalised."
To nationalise is to put the state at the wheel: ownership, authority and control shift into public hands.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nationalise come from?
The word combines national, meaning connected with a nation, with the suffix -ise, used to form verbs. Its development reflects the growth of state ownership of industries during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Its cognate nationalization was also formed from the same national root.
Related word forms
How nationalise is actually used
This is especially associated with debates over public ownership, economic policy, and state control. The British spelling is normally written with -ise; American English normally uses -ize.
Easily confused with nationalise
Nationalise is the standard British spelling, while nationalize is the standard American spelling; they have the same meaning.