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
pri·vat·iza·tion
ˌprīvə̇tə̇ˈzāshən
-tˌīˈz-
plural -s
1
: the tendency for an individual to withdraw from participation in social and especially political life into a world of personal concerns usually as a result of a feeling of insignificance and lack of understanding of complex social processes
2
: an act or the process of privatizing
Cite this Entry
“Privatize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privatize. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.
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