1. to bring under imperial control or rule; to make part of an empire
Usage: chiefly British spelling; American English typically uses 'imperialize'; often used in historical contexts
2. to give imperial status or dignity to; to make imperial in character
Usage: less common usage

Examples

• European powers sought to imperialise vast territories in Africa during the 19th century.
• The Roman Empire continued to imperialise neighboring regions for centuries.
• Colonial nations imperialised much of Asia and the Pacific.
• The policy aimed to imperialise the newly conquered lands.
• Historians debate the long-term effects of efforts to imperialise indigenous populations.
• The empire's strategy was to imperialise wealthy trading ports along the coast.