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Glite Dictionary
to decentralize

to decentralize

21 6.5
Give control from a central authority to local branches
  • verb
  • /diˈsɛntrəˌlaɪz/
translation icon : descentralizar
  • Many governments are looking to decentralize control over education to improve community involvement.
  • decentralized system
  • decentralized structure
  • highly decentralized

And like This is why I think democracies are so great is because they decentralized power across a wide range of like interests and groups.

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Examples

  • I also think that, you know, these companies worked so quickly to decentralize and to privatize the the Internet.

  • Early in this century, both industries began to decentralize by moving out of the nation.

    Academic text (1992)

  • The system was designed to fully support the decentralized branch offices, which would benefit from the staff savings.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Everyone is trying to build decentralized, fiat organizations that push autonomy down to service delivery or production.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Many scholars have argued that a decentralized constitution is a precondition for successful economic development.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Energy planners are moving away from large centralized power plants to a more decentralized concept of supply.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The society plans to avoid bureaucratic rigidity by adopting a decentralized structure.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Thanks to Patrisse, Alicia Garza, Opal Tremeti, the Black Lives Matter movement had grown into a global decentralized network of passionate organizers.

    Terroir (2023)

  • The organization decided to decentralize its decision-making process to allow local branches more autonomy.

  • As part of the reform, the city plans to decentralize various services, giving neighborhoods more responsibility.

Synonyms

to regionalize
vsto decentralize
  • Formal
1 6.8

To divide a country or organization into regions for local control

assigns authority to smaller units rather than merely creating regional divisions
to deconcentrate
vsto decentralize
  • Formal
8.3

To move power and services from a central office to local offices

gives real authority and responsibility to local branches or smaller units

Antonyms

to centralize
  • US
10 5.6

To move work and control into one place or under one leader

How Decentralized

to devolve
  • Formal
6 6.6
to decentralize
21 6.5
to delegate
45 3.7
to centralize
  • US
10 5.6

Surface Forms

decentralize infinitive
decentralized past
decentralized past participle
decentralizing present participle
decentralizes third person singular

Morphology

decentralize = centralize (semi-transparent) = de + centr + al + ize

For learners who know 'centralize', adding 'de-' straightforwardly gives the meaning of reversing or undoing centralization.

Etymology

Decentralize begins with de-, meaning 'away', and includes central, like the word center, meaning the middle. So to decentralize is to move power 'away from the center' and give it to local people or local groups.