denaturalize

USAGE SUMMARY

'denaturalize' is a correct word that can be used in written English.
It means to take away someone's citizenship or nationality, to make someone or something unnatural, or to remove from its natural state. Example: The government proposed a new law that would allow them to denaturalize anyone who was found to have engaged in terrorist activities, even if they were born citizens of the country. In this example, 'denaturalize' is used to refer to the act of revoking someone's citizenship, making them stateless.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

He considered efforts to teach the same "objective" history to French- and English-Canadians as a "campaign to denaturalize French-Canadians".

Encyclopedia Britannica

But, beginning in the early twentieth century, the Naturalization Bureau (later the Immigration and Naturalization Service) sought to denaturalize Asians who had been granted citizenship by courts that were either ignorant of current immigration law or deliberately defying it.

The New Yorker

The office's task is to detect war crimes suspects living in the United States, prosecute them under immigration law — seeking to denaturalize those who have obtained citizenship — and deport them, preferably to countries where they can be tried for the crimes alleged.

The New York Times

We will have to denaturalize it.

SEP

The task of a more radical "identity politics," on this vision, is to constantly denaturalize and deconstruct the identities in question, with a political goal of their subversion rather than their accommodation.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

12 human-written examples

Part of the pleasure, the giddiness of the [drag] performance is in the recognition of a radical contingency in the relation between sex and gender.…In the place of the law of heterosexual coherence, we see sex and gender denaturalized by means of a performance which avows their distinctness and dramatizes the cultural mechanism of their fabricated unity.

Encyclopedia Britannica

According to Butler: Part of the pleasure, the giddiness of the [drag] performance is in the recognition of a radical contingency in the relation between sex and gender.…In the place of the law of heterosexual coherence, we see sex and gender denaturalized by means of a performance which avows their distinctness and dramatizes the cultural mechanism of their fabricated unity.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Over the years, the Justice Department has denaturalized or deported 107 people with Nazi ties living in the United States,  but the cases have slowed to a trickle in recent years as suspects died or reached their 80s and 90s.

The New York Times

And yet more than any other series on television, it has presciently captured the ugly nativist strain running on the edges of American life, the mentality that has led to false beliefs about the president's birth status and talk of denaturalizing "anchor babies".

The New York Times - Arts

But, if one can be denaturalized, one can never really become a child of America.

The New Yorker

The former Auschwitz guard Jakob Frank Denzinger was denaturalized, as was the anarchist Emma Goldman and the alleged Communist spy Solomon Adler.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "denaturalize" in the context of citizenship, ensure you clearly specify the grounds for revocation, such as fraud or illegal activities.

Common error

Avoid using "denaturalize" interchangeably with terms like "deport" or "exile". "Denaturalize" specifically refers to the revocation of citizenship, while deport and exile refer to physical removal from a country.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "denaturalize" is as a verb. It describes the action of revoking citizenship or altering something's natural state. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a correctly used word in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "denaturalize" is a verb that refers to the act of revoking citizenship or altering something from its natural state. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the word is grammatically correct. While it's not an everyday term, appearing as uncommon, it finds frequent usage in News & Media, Encyclopedias, and Science. When writing, ensure you're clear about the specific context—whether it's legal or philosophical. Remember, using related phrases like "revoke citizenship" or "make unnatural" can help clarify your intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

revoke citizenship

Focuses specifically on the action of taking away citizenship.

strip of nationality

Emphasizes the removal of national identity.

nullify citizenship

Highlights the act of making citizenship void.

deprive of citizenship

Stresses the act of taking citizenship away from someone.

invalidate citizenship

Focuses on the legal aspect of cancelling citizenship.

make unnatural

Emphasizes altering something from its natural form or state.

render artificial

Highlights making something artificial.

alter from its nature

Focuses on changing something's inherent characteristics.

denationalize

Emphasis on removing national characteristics or control, often in an economic context.

dehumanize

Implies stripping away human qualities or dignity.

FAQs

What does "denaturalize" mean?

"Denaturalize" means to revoke or deny citizenship, or to make something less natural. It can also mean to cause something to deviate from its nature.

How is "denaturalize" used in legal contexts?

In legal contexts, "denaturalize" often refers to the process of revoking someone's citizenship, typically due to fraud or other illegal activities. This can lead to deportation.

What are some synonyms for "denaturalize" when referring to making something unnatural?

When referring to making something unnatural, synonyms for "denaturalize" include "make unnatural", "render artificial", or "alter from its nature".

What are some alternatives to saying "denaturalize" someone?

You can use alternatives such as "revoke citizenship", "strip of nationality", or "deprive of citizenship".