bureaucrat
Americannoun
-
an official of a bureaucracy.
-
an official who works by fixed routine without exercising intelligent judgment.
noun
-
an official in a bureaucracy
-
an official who adheres to bureaucracy, esp rigidly
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of bureaucrat
From the French word bureaucrate, dating back to 1835–45. See bureau, -crat
Explanation
A bureaucrat is an administrative official who works for the government. You brought the budget office bureaucrat a book about literacy, hoping to convince him you need more funding for the library. The word bureaucrat comes from bureaucracy, which means a system of government where state officials make decisions instead of elected ones. In America, bureaucrat often has a negative ring to it because some people think they make procedures too complicated and time-consuming — driving people crazy but ensuring they, the bureaucrats, stay busy processing it.
Vocabulary lists containing bureaucrat
This Week in Words: August 25 - 31, 2018
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
President Obama's Speech on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Boy on the Wooden Box
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It has arguably made her the country's most famous bureaucrat.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026
He isn’t a bureaucrat who can simply be swapped for another.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026
“I completely failed the test,” he said of his experience as a bureaucrat.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025
A bureaucrat, who works closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently said that the government was actively encouraging overseas Indians to return and contribute to nation-building.
From BBC • Oct. 5, 2025
And while presidents came and went, this bureaucrat, now thick around the waist and with jowls like a bulldog, remained.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
