expropriation

noun

ex·​pro·​pri·​a·​tion (ˌ)ek-ˌsprō-prē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce expropriation (audio)
: the act of expropriating or the state of being expropriated
specifically : the action of the state in taking or modifying the property rights of an individual in the exercise of its sovereignty

Examples of expropriation in a Sentence

the development of the colony involved expropriation of large tracts of fertile farmland from the natives
Recent Examples on the Web The march was for an annual event called Land Day, centered in the Galilee but marked more broadly every March 30, to commemorate Palestinian opposition to Israeli expropriation of Arab land. Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024 The business advisory also highlights risks associated with the proliferation and implementation of repressive laws, including expropriation and detention. Bennett Freeman, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 Much can go wrong overseas: expropriations, taxes, runaway inflation. William Baldwin, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 Since the summer of 2022, the occupation authorities have presided over the mass expropriation of Ukrainian assets—a further blatant violation of international law on occupation. David Lewis, Foreign Affairs, 18 Jan. 2024 Norway's highest court, the Norwegian Supreme Court, had unanimously ruled in 2021 that the expropriation of reindeer hearding land and operating permits for the construction of 151 wind turbines were invalid. Peter Aitken, Fox News, 20 Jan. 2024 However, if a company’s fundamental purpose is to be redirected — even if only in part — away from the generation of shareholder return and toward the promotion of causes favored by the CEO and his or her colleagues in the C-suite, that is a type of expropriation. Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 17 Dec. 2023 Their substance, however — rent seeking, the partial expropriation of shareholders, and the sly bypassing of the democratic process — will remain the same. Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 17 Dec. 2023 Analysts say the new regime faces likely challenges on several grounds, including over whether the expropriation of private property is acceptable under international legal norms, violates constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure or breaches bilateral treaties. Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023

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

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of expropriation was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near expropriation

Cite this Entry

“Expropriation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expropriation. Accessed 5 May. 2024.

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