Nationalizes is a term that refers to the process of taking control or ownership of a business, industry or property from private ownership and making it government-owned or controlled. Some synonyms for nationalizes include "expropriates," "appropriates," "seizes," and "confiscates." Other synonyms include "socializes," "communalizes," "collectivizes," and "nationalizes." Each term captures the essence of a government taking control of an industry, often in the interests of the wider public and for strategic economic gain. While the word is most associated with socialism, it can also be used in capitalist societies where the government seeks to take control of an otherwise critical or strategic industry.