decentralization

noun

de·​cen·​tral·​i·​za·​tion (ˌ)dē-ˌsen-trə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

1

: the dispersion or distribution of functions and powers

a decentralization of powers

specifically, government : the delegation of power from a central authority to regional and local authorities

the decentralization of the state's public school system

government decentralization

2

sociology : the redistribution of population and industry from urban centers to outlying areas

decentralize

(ˌ)dē-ˈsen-trə-ˌlīz 

verb

Examples of decentralization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s rising in the aftermath is a new breed of giving that is leaner, faster, and built on the principles of decentralization, distribution, and data. —Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

Some privacy advocates worry that regulation will compromise the ethos of decentralization. —Stepan Sergeev, USA Today, 22 June 2025

Libertarians support decentralization for exactly this reason. —Pat Wright, Oc Register, 10 June 2025

Founding Fathers’ solution The founders’ initial solution to the concentration of military power was federalism and decentralization. —Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 11 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for decentralization

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization