bureaucratic

adjective

bu·​reau·​crat·​ic ˌbyu̇r-ə-ˈkra-tik 

ˌbyər-

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a bureaucracy or a bureaucrat

bureaucratic government

a bureaucratic organization

bureaucratic procedures

bureaucratically

ˌbyu̇r-ə-ˈkra-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌbyər-

adverb

Examples of bureaucratic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

More rigid and bureaucratic workplaces, however, are far less susceptible to manipulation. —Gautam Mukunda, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

His mimicry of the inflated language of marketing, bureaucratic euphemism, and hypertechnical mumbo jumbo finds the exact midpoint between amusing and appalling. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2024

Some of the survivors have criticized the program as overly bureaucratic and not fit for purpose. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024

Development of technical standards can often be a fraught bureaucratic process, but the creation of CXP seems to have been positive and collaborative. —Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French bureaucratique, from bureaucrate bureaucrat or bureaucratie bureaucracy + -ique -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bureaucratic

• anti-bureaucratic

Kids Definition

bureaucratic

adjective

bu·​reau·​crat·​ic ˌbyu̇r-ə-ˈkrat-ik 

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a bureaucracy or bureaucrat

bureaucratically

-ˈkrat-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb