bureaucracy

American  

[byoo-rok-ruh-see] / byʊˈrɒk rə si /

noun

plural

bureaucracies

1. government by many bureaus, administrators, and petty officials.

2. the body of officials and administrators, especially of a government or government department.

3. excessive multiplication of, and concentration of power in, administrative bureaus or administrators.

4. administration characterized by excessive red tape and routine.

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bureaucracy British  

/ bjʊəˈrɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. a system of administration based upon organization into bureaus, division of labour, a hierarchy of authority, etc: designed to dispose of a large body of work in a routine manner

2. government by such a system

3. government or other officials collectively

4. any administration in which action is impeded by unnecessary official procedures and red tape

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bureaucracy Cultural  

1. A formal, hierarchical organization with many levels in which tasks, responsibilities, and authority are delegated among individuals, offices, or departments, held together by a central administration. According to many sociologists and anthropologists, the development of bureaucratic organizations is necessary for the emergence of any modern civilization. (See Max Weber.)

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Discover More

Today, the term bureaucracy suggests a lack of initiative, excessive adherence to rules and routine, red tape (see also red tape), inefficiency, or, even more serious, an impersonal force dominating the lives of individuals. (See Big Brother is watching you.)

Etymology

Origin of bureaucracy

First recorded in 1810–20; bureau + -cracy, modeled on French bureaucratie

Example Sentences

“The bureaucracy makes itself clear really quickly,” Taylor said.

From Los Angeles Times

Adding to that, the loss of veteran coaches frustrated by bureaucracy issues and rules that force programs to secure permits and pay to use their own gyms in the offseason helped further the exodus.

From Los Angeles Times

To speed things up, the Californian bureaucracy has streamlined its processes.

From Barron's

We mock their bureaucracy while drowning in our own.

From MarketWatch

As New York City mayor, Mamdani plans to move forward with delivering on an ambitious affordability agenda while overseeing a vast municipal bureaucracy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• administration
• authority
• civil service
• management
• ministry
• red tape