decentralize

especially British, de·cen·tral·ise

[dee-sen-truh-lahyz]

verb (used with object)

decentralized, decentralizing 

1. to distribute the administrative powers or functions of (a central authority) over a less concentrated area.

   to decentralize the national government.

2. to disperse (something) from an area of concentration.

   to decentralize the nation's industry.

verb (used without object)

decentralized, decentralizing 

1. to undergo decentralization.

   The city government is looking for ways to decentralize.

decentralize

/ diːˈsɛntrəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. to reorganize (a government, industry, etc) into smaller more autonomous units

2. to disperse (a concentration, as of industry or population)

Other Word Forms

• decentralist noun
• decentralization noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of decentralize¹

First recorded in 1850–55; de- + centralize

Example Sentences

While its home base was in Texas, Whole Foods’s operations were decentralized, with regional offices that catered to specific markets.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Analysts and users alike note that social media is functioning as a decentralized fact-checking and commentary platform.

Read more on Salon

Arab intelligence officials say Hezbollah is returning to a more decentralized structure, similar to how it operated in the 1980s and how Hamas has shifted its tactics in Gaza.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The event underscores the centralized risks within stablecoins, contrasting with the decentralized nature of other cryptocurrencies.

Read more on Barron's

Ahead of the selloff, two accounts on Hyperliquid, a decentralized exchange that allows investors to make leveraged bets on future crypto prices, placed massive bets that bitcoin and ether would fall.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• disperse 
• distribute 
• scatter