Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

centralism

American  
[sen-truh-liz-uhm] / ˈsɛn trəˌlɪz əm /

noun

  1. a centralizing system; centralization.


centralism British  
/ ˈsɛntrəˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. the principle or act of bringing something under central control; centralization

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • anticentralism noun
  • anticentralist noun
  • centralist noun
  • centralistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of centralism

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; central 1 + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Back then, fear of centralism sprang from populists such as William Jennings Bryan, who hankered for easier credit for farmers.

From Washington Post • Jan. 21, 2022

They admire its ruthless centralism, its desire for conquest, its ability to maintain law and order—and its religious tolerance, which allowed Christianity and Islam to coexist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2018

It shows a poverty-stricken woman in a hut with her ragged children, being asked by a public opinion pollster: "Are you for dynamic centralism or progress without adventurism?"

From Time Magazine Archive

His ideas were clear: this business of centralism in government.

From Time Magazine Archive

They are an expression of accepted hierarchy and centralism to the degree that these could be rendered relative as need required.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai