naturalize

verb

nat·​u·​ral·​ize ˈna-ch(ə-)rə-ˌlīz How to pronounce naturalize (audio)
naturalized; naturalizing
Synonyms of naturalizenext

transitive verb

1
: to confer the rights of a national on
especially : to admit to citizenship
2
: to introduce into common use or into the vernacular
3
: to bring into conformity with nature
4
: to cause (something, such as a plant) to become established as if native

intransitive verb

: to become established as if native

Examples of naturalize in a Sentence

The government refused to naturalize them without documentation. naturalized citizens of the U.S. Several Asian fish have become naturalized in these lakes. Before you naturalize bulbs in your lawn, fertilize well. These daisies naturalize well in the Pacific Northwest.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For example, Social Security's citizenship data often isn't updated when people naturalize, and the SAVE data system, operated by USCIS, frequently doesn't include records for people who became citizens as minors when their parents naturalized. — Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026 Her Mexican mother was naturalized thanks to the 1986 amnesty, but her first husband struggled for years to attain legal status. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Kulkarni herself has overseen cases where people had a removal order that was 10 years old and were still able to be naturalized. — Ruby Grisin, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Sep. 2026 The plants are also known for their ability to multiply and naturalize. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for naturalize

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of naturalize was in 1559

Rhymes for naturalize

See All Rhymes for naturalize

Browse Nearby Words

naturalization
naturalize
natural key
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Naturalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naturalize. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

naturalize

verb
nat·​u·​ral·​ize ˈnach-(ə-)rə-ˌlīz How to pronounce naturalize (audio)
naturalized; naturalizing
1
: to introduce into common use
naturalize a foreign word
2
: to become or cause to become established as if native
naturalized weeds
3
: to give the rights and privileges of citizenship to
naturalize a foreign-born person

Legal Definition

naturalize

transitive verb
nat·​u·​ral·​ize ˈna-chə-rə-ˌlīz How to pronounce naturalize (audio)
naturalized; naturalizing
: to admit (a person) to citizenship
naturalization
ˌna-chə-rə-lə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce naturalize (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on naturalize

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for naturalize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All