centralize
/ˈsentrəlaɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsentrəlaɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsen-trə-ˌlīz/ (ame, mw)
centralize — verb
- centralizepresent simple I / you / we / they
- centralizeshe / she / it
- centralizedpast simple
- centralizing-ing form
1. to organize a company, system, or organization by giving decision-making power t
to organize a company, system, or organization by giving decision-making power to a single group or office, instead of spreading it across many smaller local units
The school district centralized its records in one main office instead of at each school.
centralize + in + [place]
Owen's company centralized all customer service calls at a single center in Dublin.
After the merger, the two hospitals centralized their purchasing departments to reduce costs.
The government plans to centralize tax collection rather than letting each region handle it separately.
- concentrate
focuses more on the physical act of gathering things together; 'centralize' specifically implies authority or control
- consolidate
suggests combining separate parts into a stronger whole; often used for debts, departments, or power
- unify
broader in scope, means joining together to form a single unit; does not always imply top-down control
- decentralize
the direct opposite — to spread authority or functions away from a central point
- distribute
to spread things across different locations or people rather than keeping them in one place
文法句型
centralize + noun phrase
be centralized + in/at + [place]
用法筆記
Frequently used in business and government contexts. Often appears in the passive voice, e.g. 'The system is centralized.' The opposite process is 'decentralize.'