naturalization
noun
nat·u·ral·i·za·tion
ˌna-ch(ə-)rə-lə-ˈzā-shən 
plural naturalizations
: the act or process of naturalizing : the state of being naturalized: such as
a
: the course of action undertaken to become a citizen of a country other than the country where one was born
I complete the application for naturalization, wondering whether I know enough American history and government, and whether I could be disqualified for not knowing all the unmemorable lines of Francis Scott Key's "Star Spangled Banner."—
Judy Ray
Judy Ray
b
of a non-native plant or animal
: the process of becoming or the state of being established in the wild so that growth and reproduction is possible without human intervention
This phenomenon follows the typical pattern of invading plant and animal species, the gradual process of naturalization by which ecological balance tends to reassert.—John Eastman
John EastmanExamples of naturalization in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One exception is if the government was able to prove that citizenship was obtained through fraud in the case of naturalization.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2025
An information packet and an American flag are placed on a chair before the start of a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Miami Field Office on August 17, 2018, in Miami, where 142 citizenship candidates from 33 countries took the Oath of Allegiance.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
In June, Afeyan was asked to reflect on his journey and to share his wisdom with new U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony hosted by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston.
—Matt Durot, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
The 2024 law defines proof of citizenship as a birth certificate, passport, naturalization document or naturalization number.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for naturalization
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Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2025
An information packet and an American flag are placed on a chair before the start of a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Miami Field Office on August 17, 2018, in Miami, where 142 citizenship candidates from 33 countries took the Oath of Allegiance.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
In June, Afeyan was asked to reflect on his journey and to share his wisdom with new U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony hosted by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston.
—Matt Durot, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
The 2024 law defines proof of citizenship as a birth certificate, passport, naturalization document or naturalization number.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for naturalization
Cite this Entry
“Naturalization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naturalization. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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