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

Today, the same royal corridors that once housed Queen Henrietta Maria, bureaucratic offices like the Pipe Office and the Office of the Duchy of Cornwall are now hubs of imagination, equity, and storytelling. —Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

The movie’s evocative title uses an otherwise generic name, possibly a bureaucratic designation on a prison ledger or the toe tag on a morgue’s corpse. —Armond White, National Review, 14 May 2025

And while these buildings are in various states of disrepair, many could still serve students and communities if CPS prioritized public good over bureaucratic control. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025

If not, the software could add more bureaucratic hurdles or narrow property owners’ options through overly rigid or incorrect code interpretations. —Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025

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

Rhymes for bureaucratic

• adiabatic
• aristocratic
• asymptomatic
• axiomatic
• diagrammatic
• diaphragmatic
• electrostatic
• endolymphatic
• epigrammatic
• homeostatic
• idiomatic
• magnetostatic

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