naturalize

verb

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

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 Court documents show that the husband and wife are naturalized U.S. citizens who moved to Portland in 1995. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 26 Jan. 2024 Her father became a U.S. citizen in 1978, while her mother was naturalized in 2003, according to the Associated Press. Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024 How to Propagate Dog Tooth Violet The plant naturalizes by growing bulb offsets (bulbils) on the sides of the bulbs. Nadia Hassani, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 2024 Find a location where the plant can remain undisturbed, which increases the likelihood of it naturalizing over time. Nadia Hassani, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 2024 For an elderly woman originally from Shandong, then naturalized in Shanghai, a mostly kinetic show in German about a charismatic, industrious dog was perfect. Naaman Zhou, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2023 Born in China, but naturalized as Canadian, Wu, now 33, was a huge star in China with at least 15 major brand endorsements, including Bulgari, Lancome, Louis Vuitton and Porsche, all of which have since cut their ties with him. Patrick Frater, Variety, 25 Nov. 2023 For example, the number of uninsured Latinos can be broken down by U.S.-born, naturalized and noncitizen identifiers. Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2023 Two years later, Congress passed the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing citizenship to anyone born or naturalized in the United States — including formerly enslaved people — ensuring equal protection under the law. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'naturalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near naturalize

Cite this Entry

“Naturalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naturalize. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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 noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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