denaturalize

verb

de·​nat·​u·​ral·​ize (ˌ)dē-ˈna-ch(ə-)rə-ˌlīz How to pronounce denaturalize (audio)
denaturalized; denaturalizing; denaturalizes

transitive verb

1
: to make unnatural
2
: to deprive of the rights and duties of a citizen

Examples of denaturalize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At that time, the attorney general named Eli Rosenbaum to lead the special unit who previously directed the department's Office of Special Investigations, primarily responsible for identifying, denaturalizing, and deporting Nazi war criminals. Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2023 Kumar pointed to a new office created by Trump’s Department of Justice to denaturalize immigrants in the U.S. Nicole Goodkind, Fortune, 12 June 2020 In the years between 2004 and 2016, about 40 people were denaturalized per year. Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 17 Dec. 2019 Mead, for her part, grew famous for Coming of Age in Samoa, a work that attempted to denaturalize the angst of adolescence. Patrick Iber, The New Republic, 14 Aug. 2019 That detail is worrisome in light of the administration’s push to denaturalize citizens, which includes investigating old records in search of inconsistencies on applications the government could interpret as fraud. Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 17 Dec. 2019 Baljinder Singh became the first person to be denaturalized under Operation Janus, a Homeland Security Department initiative that revokes citizenship of those who circumvented background checks during the naturalization process. CBS News, 11 Jan. 2018 Some were German citizens; others fled to Germany before they were denaturalized in the United States. Scott Nover, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'denaturalize.' 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

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of denaturalize was in 1800

Dictionary Entries Near denaturalize

Cite this Entry

“Denaturalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denaturalize. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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