What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
decentralized
Example
The company has a decentralized management structure, allowing each department to make decisions independently. [decentralized: adjective]
Example
The decentralized nature of blockchain technology ensures that no single entity has control over the network. [decentralized: adjective]
distributed
Example
The workload is distributed evenly among team members to ensure efficiency. [distributed: verb]
Example
The distributed architecture of the system allows for better scalability and fault tolerance. [distributed: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Distributed is more commonly used than decentralized in everyday language, especially in the context of computing or technology. Decentralized is more commonly used in the context of governance or political systems.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between decentralized and distributed?
Both decentralized and distributed can be used in formal or informal contexts, but decentralized may be perceived as more formal due to its association with governance or political systems.
