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

Explanation

A bureaucracy is an organization made up of many departments and divisions that are administered by lots of people. If you've ever had to deal with health insurance or financial aid, you're familiar with the dark side of bureaucracy. Bureaucracy has a bad reputation because it has come to mean an organization or government that is chin-deep in red tape and unnecessary procedures. When dealing with a bureaucracy, expect to fill out lots of forms and wait. Bureaucracies are mocked in the hilarious film "Brazil," where people have mind-numbing jobs they do while sitting at desks. Bureaucracy is an organization administered by people behind desks, or bureaus. Bureaus, get it?

Example Sentences

Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt erected millions of square feet of unsightly buildings on the National Mall to house an expanded federal bureaucracy during the world wars.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

Out went an entrenched bureaucracy, store managers were given greater responsibility for how their stores looked, and older stores were marked for remodeling.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

Welsh Labour was focusing on using AI to cut bureaucracy in the public sector and building "digital infrastructure", pointing to the new "AI Growth Zones" in Wales to support wider uptake.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

It will save money by shrinking bureaucracy and eliminating duplication.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

“And we figured, quite frankly, between myself, Louis, the Crunks—well, Cymbeline, at least—Bernice, and everyone else here, we’d do a better job of keeping you guys safe than the broken ol’ charity bureaucracy.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

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