bureaucratese

American  

[byoor-uh-kra-teez, -tees, byoo-rok-ruh-] / ˌbyʊər ə kræˈtiz, -ˈtis, byʊˌrɒk rə- /

noun

1. a style of language, used especially by bureaucrats, that is full of circumlocutions, euphemisms, buzzwords, abstractions, etc.

---

Etymology

Origin of bureaucratese

bureaucrat + -ese

Example Sentences

In translation, that's bureaucratese for widespread trauma to come.

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2023

His hollow apologies and empty promises to improve processes were the worst kind of mealy-mouthed bureaucratese.

From Washington Post • Sep. 20, 2021

Hovering over modern discussions of usage is the spectre of George Orwell, whose essay “Politics and the English Language” challenged the degeneracy of bureaucratese.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 30, 2019

A blown-up “Abuse Report” translates petty art-world grievances into the bureaucratese of a government complaint.

From New York Times • Nov. 1, 2018

The bland bureaucratese of an April 2004 report by the General Accounting Office did not hide harsh conclusions: Overseas missions were draining the guard of its troops, particularly in expert specialties.

From Slate • Sep. 7, 2016