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

What Danielle Crittenden has dubbed the Bureaucracy of Death came calling shortly after Valentine’s Day 2024 to inform her that Miranda, her adored 32-year old daughter, had been discovered lifeless in her Brooklyn, N.Y., apartment.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

"Bureaucracy was once applied to government alone," Wolff said.

From Salon • Sep. 6, 2024

Bureaucracy and even cost can create a fragmented and disjointed nationwide network, three AI and surveillance experts told Reuters.

From Reuters • Apr. 8, 2022

I didn’t think it was that funny when Mafalda named her pet turtle Bureaucracy, called for it, and spent several panels waiting for it to arrive.

From Slate • Oct. 15, 2020

Vitality seemed to be flowing back into national life, but Bureaucracy does not love vitality.

From Gilbert Keith Chesterton by Ward, Maisie

Related Words

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