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

Over 200,000 residents made damaged property claims, flooding the state's bureaucratic processes. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Advertisement Also wading through the bureaucratic labyrinth was Dalal Al-Sumah. —Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024

These workers have seen personally the knock-on impacts of bureaucratic bottlenecks, quality control problems, and manufacturing delays resulting from a large, clumsy company. —Jim Osman, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

For Manuel and others in his position, everything depends on a combination of legal technicalities and bureaucratic processing. —Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 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