decentralized

[ dee-sen-truh-lahyzd ]

adjective

1. (of a central authority) having much of the decision-making power vested in teams, divisions, or local branches instead of in a single center of power:

   They implemented a decentralized scheme for the business, dividing it into four geographic areas managed by local staff.

   A system of decentralized government empowered communities at the grassroots level and gave them a say in how they were governed.

2. happening or carried out locally and usually independently:

   Decentralized wastewater treatment puts the treatment system at or near the school, industrial site, etc., that generates the wastewater.

3. dispersed from a core area; spread out:

   It is challenging for our state to provide public services and infrastructure to an ever-growing and decentralized population base.

4. (of currency) not controlled or distributed by a government, bank, or other third party, as bitcoin and some other digital currencies:

   While decentralized currencies are hurting in a bearish month, the prospects for state-issued virtual money look even dimmer.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of decentralize.

Word History and Origins

Origin of decentralized¹

First recorded in 1830–40; decentralize + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; decentralize ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

In Indiana, which is decentralized like Michigan, a juvenile justice reform task force appointed this year aims to collect and assess data from across the state.

From ProPublica

This is not only because of crumbling international norms of journalistic access, as Walsh experienced, or shrinking foreign bureaus, but also because of the decentralizing and anti-establishment mood of the socially networked age.

From Washington Post

If we can decentralize testing—get the sample collection away from a testing area—everyone can do it at home.

From Fortune

Part of this disconnect between disciplines stems from marketing teams being decentralized — they could live in business units, they could be regionally based, and now we’re all living remotely.

From Search Engine Land

The Ottomans had managed Arabia through a decentralized system of provinces called valyets, run by governors they appointed.

From The Daily Beast

Full-scale civil wars are giving way to fragmented armed groups with decentralized power bases in remote border regions.

From The Daily Beast

We want a decentralized government that will give us more freedom to manage our own affairs.

From The Daily Beast

Rather, his appeal proceeded (and still proceeds) from a radical message of individual autonomy and decentralized political power.

From The Daily Beast

The emerging church movement, in particular, has embraced a kind of steady, decentralized growth that can seem CrossFit-ish.

From The Daily Beast

If the government of the society is strictly monarchial, its administration is, on the contrary, extremely decentralized.

From Project Gutenberg

In fact, it is the most decentralized movement in the world today.

From Project Gutenberg

Then let us recall how soon after that we were all assuming some share in this "decentralized administration."

From Project Gutenberg

To M. de Camors, in principle it was a matter of perfect indifference whether France was centralized or decentralized.

From Project Gutenberg

Governmental functioning ostensibly decentralized, but policy and control exercised by higher state and party organs.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• disperse
• distribute
• scatter