privatize
verb
pri·vat·ize
ˈprī-və-ˌtīz 
privatized; privatizing; privatizes
: to make private
especially
: to change from public to private control or ownership
privatize an industry
The mayor's threat to privatize trash collection shook things up. —
Jeff Bailey
Jeff Bailey Examples of privatize in a Sentence
The city decided to privatize the municipal power company.
a proposal to privatize the health-care system
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite deep opposition, a controversial proposal to privatize, demolish, and rebuild their homes charges ahead.
—Stacy Torres, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
The public has been widely against the idea of privatizing Social Security since Republican President George W. Bush embarked on a campaign to pitch privatization of the program in 2005, through voluntary personal retirement accounts.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
Members of Congress are warning that Social Security could be privatized and have announced legislation intended to prevent it.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Netanyahu's ministers have also put forward a proposal to privatize Channel 11, the public broadcaster, which a spokesperson for his Likud party criticized for serving the radical left and damaging Israelis' morale.
—Emily Rose, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for privatize
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Stacy Torres, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
The public has been widely against the idea of privatizing Social Security since Republican President George W. Bush embarked on a campaign to pitch privatization of the program in 2005, through voluntary personal retirement accounts.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
Members of Congress are warning that Social Security could be privatized and have announced legislation intended to prevent it.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Netanyahu's ministers have also put forward a proposal to privatize Channel 11, the public broadcaster, which a spokesperson for his Likud party criticized for serving the radical left and damaging Israelis' morale.
—Emily Rose, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for privatize
Cite this Entry
“Privatize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privatize. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
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privatize
transitive verb
pri·va·tize
ˈprī-və-ˌtīz
privatized; privatizing
: to make private
especially
: to change (as a business or industry) from public to private control or ownership
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