centralization
n. uncountablen. the process of putting all the power or control in one single place or person. This often happens in a company or government when decisions are made by a small group at the top.
n. the process of concentrating power, authority, or resources in a single central location or entity. Often contrasted with decentralization in political and organizational contexts.
The company is moving toward centralization to make decisions faster.
The centralization of data processing in a single server room made the entire network more vulnerable to a single point of failure.
While centralization can streamline administrative efficiency, it often leads to a lack of local responsiveness and a concentration of power that may stifle innovation at the grassroots level.
From French centralisation, equivalent to central + -ization or centralize + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 31, 2026