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
Musk himself has previously said the agency should be privatized, while Trump has also reportedly floated the idea of taking control of the USPS.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
The head of the beleaguered U.S. Postal Service, Louis DeJoy, resigned Monday after nearly five years in the position, leaving as President Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have floated the idea of privatizing mail service.
—CBS News, 25 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has teased his own plan to privatize the service.
—Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Mar. 2025
Some Republicans have in the past called for privatizing social security.
—Reuters, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for privatize
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Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
The head of the beleaguered U.S. Postal Service, Louis DeJoy, resigned Monday after nearly five years in the position, leaving as President Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have floated the idea of privatizing mail service.
—CBS News, 25 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has teased his own plan to privatize the service.
—Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Mar. 2025
Some Republicans have in the past called for privatizing social security.
—Reuters, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 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 7 Apr. 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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