decentralize

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UK/diːˈsɛntɹəlaɪz/Canada, US/diˈsɛntɹəˌlaɪz/Australia/diːˈsentɹəlɑez/New Zealand/diːˈsentɹəlaɪz/

verb

To cause to change from being concentrated at one point or site to being distributed across several.

“decentralize authority”

Similar
deconcentratedecentralise
Opposite
recentralizecentralizecentralise
OriginEnglish centralize ← Latin centrālis ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? →
UncommonScrabble 24
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Meanings

verbdecentralize (third-person singular simple present decentralizes, present participle decentralizing, simple past and past participle decentralized)

present singular third person decentralizes · participle present decentralizing · participle past decentralized · past decentralized · alternative decentralise

  1. transitiveTo cause to change from being concentrated at one point or site to being distributed across several.

    decentralize operations

  2. transitiveTo reduce the authority of (a governing body) by distributing that authority among several bodies.

    decentralize authority

    2 more examples

    decentralize decision-making

    The government planned to decentralize power to local councils.

  3. intransitiveTo become decentralized.
  4. USgovernmentTo bring (a suspect) to the ground by use of directed force; to tackle.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
recentralize

verbmake less central

Similar
deconcentratedecentralise
Opposite
centralizecentralise
Broader
changealtermodify
Also see
decentralisedeconcentrate

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*ḱen-?
  8. Proto-Indo-European*ḱéntrom
  9. Proto-Hellenic*kéntron
  10. Ancient Greekκέντρον (kéntron)
  11. Latincentrum
  12. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  14. Latincentrālis
  15. Englishcentral
  16. Englishcentralize
  17. Englishdecentralize

From de- + centralize.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan descentralitzar, descentralitzar
  • descentralitzarcause to change from being concentrated
  • descentralitzarreduce the authority of a governing body
Czech decentralizovat, decentralizovat
  • decentralizovatcause to change from being concentrated
  • decentralizovatreduce the authority of a governing body
Dutch decentraliseren, decentraliseren
  • decentraliserencause to change from being concentrated
  • decentraliserenreduce the authority of a governing body
Finnish hajasijoittaa, hajauttaa
  • hajasijoittaacause to change from being concentrated
  • hajauttaacause to change from being concentrated
  • hajasijoittaareduce the authority of a governing body
  • hajauttaareduce the authority of a governing body
French décentraliser, décentraliser
  • décentralisercause to change from being concentrated
  • décentraliserreduce the authority of a governing body
German dezentralisieren, entflechten
  • dezentralisierencause to change from being concentrated
  • entflechtencause to change from being concentrated
  • verteilencause to change from being concentrated
  • zerstreuencause to change from being concentrated
  • dezentralisierenreduce the authority of a governing body
Italian decentralizzare, decentralizzare
  • decentralizzarecause to change from being concentrated
  • decentralizzarereduce the authority of a governing body
Portuguese descentralizar, descentralizar
  • descentralizarcause to change from being concentrated
  • descentralizarreduce the authority of a governing body
Russian децентрализовать, децентрализовать
  • децентрализовать (decentralizovatʹ)cause to change from being concentrated
  • децентрализовать (decentralizovatʹ)reduce the authority of a governing body
Spanish descentralizar, descentralizar
  • descentralizarcause to change from being concentrated
  • descentralizarreduce the authority of a governing body
Swedish decentralisera, decentralisera
  • decentraliseracause to change from being concentrated
  • decentraliserareduce the authority of a governing body
Cite this entry
APA

decentralize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decentralize

MLA

“decentralize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decentralize. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “decentralize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decentralize.

Source: decentralize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.