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Definition of centralism

centralism

/ˈsɛn.trəˌlɪz.əm/
cen · tral · ism
Adverb:centralistically
•
Adjective:centralistic
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centralism Lexical Profile

centralism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A political or administrative system, doctrine, or practice in which power and decision-making authority are concentrated in a single central government or leadership body rather than distributed among local or regional authorities.

Example

"Critics argued that the new constitutional reforms promoted excessive centralism at the expense of regional autonomy."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

central american rattlesnake
central bearded dragon
central ranges taipan
centralism
centralist
centrality
centralization

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-19th century, likely modeled on the French 'centralisme', from 'central' (derived from Latin 'centralis') combined with the suffix '-ism'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Centralism. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/centralism
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