centralize

verb

cen·​tral·​ize ˈsen-trə-ˌlīz How to pronounce centralize (audio)
centralized; centralizing

intransitive verb

: to form a center : cluster around a center

transitive verb

1
: to bring to a center : consolidate
centralize all the data in one file
2
: to concentrate by placing power and authority in a center or central organization
centralized several functions in a single agency
centralization noun
centralizer noun

Examples of centralize in a Sentence

All shipping operations have been centralized at the Miami office. The controversial reforms could be used to further centralize power in the hands of one party.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That the impact is so severe and so global underlines the fact that much of web hosting is centralized on Amazon. David Remnick, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025 The center would centralize programs and offices and include a museum for groups and schools. Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Oct. 2025 But the new national media deal pushes the league closer to the NFL’s economic model, with central revenue playing a larger role, as the league sorts out options to centralize more TV rights. Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2025 In the past, the federal government audited and sampled state data without collecting and centralizing applicants' personal information. Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for centralize

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of centralize was in 1795

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Centralize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centralize. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

centralize

verb
cen·​tral·​ize ˈsen-trə-ˌlīz How to pronounce centralize (audio)
centralized; centralizing
: to bring to a central point or under a single control
centralization noun

More from Merriam-Webster on centralize

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