What does nationalised mean?
Nationalised means that ownership or control of an organisation, industry, or asset has been transferred from private interests to the state. The word is chiefly associated with British English and is used particularly in political and economic discussion, especially in relation to utilities, railways, banks, and other major industries. A nationalised enterprise remains part of the economy but is owned or controlled by the government rather than private shareholders. The term often has strong political overtones because it evokes state intervention and, in some historical contexts, the nationalisation of major industries during and after the Second World War. It is also frequently contrasted with privatised, which describes the reverse process of transferring public ownership to private hands.
verbTo transfer ownership, management, or control of an industry, organisation, or asset from private hands to the state.
- To transfer an organisation, industry, or asset from private ownership to ownership or control by the state.
"The government nationalised the railway company during the crisis."
"The state later nationalised the country's largest steel producer."
"Several basic industries had been nationalised before the policy was reversed."
Nationalisation became a defining feature of many postwar economies, with governments bringing utilities, railways, and other industries under public ownership.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of nationalised
The word is the past tense and past participle of nationalise, formed from national plus the suffix -ise, meaning "to make national." Nationalise itself developed during the nineteenth century in the sense of making something national in character or belonging to the nation as a whole. Its modern economic sense, referring specifically to state ownership, became especially prominent in the twentieth century.
Related word forms
How nationalised is actually used
Chiefly used in British English; the usual US spelling is "nationalized." It is mainly associated with government policy and can carry political connotations, especially when contrasted with privatisation.
Easily confused with nationalised
Nationalised means transferred to state ownership, whereas naturalised means made natural or, in immigration contexts, granted citizenship.