Rusticize: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when aiming to give something an old-fashioned or rural appearance, typically in architecture, clothing, or decor.

• They decided to rusticize the interior of the cottage with wooden beams and antique furniture.
• The wedding planner was instructed to rusticize the venue to match the countryside theme.

Use in contexts where there is a transformation to make an area more rural or better suited for rural life, often in social and economic contexts.

• The government’s plan to ruralize some urban regions aims to reduce city congestion.
• They wanted to ruralize the area to encourage farming and sustainable living.

Informal term used when making something resemble or relate more to the countryside, often in decorations or lifestyle.

• We country-fied the living room with some vintage farm signs.
• Her playlist was full of songs that really country-fied the party atmosphere.

Use when making something appear more natural or when something becomes integrated into a new environment, frequently in ecological or legal contexts.

• The architect aimed to naturalize the park by planting indigenous trees and plants.
• He went through the process to naturalize and finally became a citizen.