bureaucracy

noun

bu·​reau·​cra·​cy byu̇-ˈrä-krə-sē How to pronounce bureaucracy (audio)
byə-,
byər-ˈä-
plural bureaucracies
1
a
: a body of nonelected government officials
b
: an administrative policymaking group
2
: government characterized by specialization of functions, adherence to fixed rules, and a hierarchy of authority
3
: a system of administration marked by officialism, red tape, and proliferation

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The Roots of Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy was borrowed from the French bureaucratie, which itself was formed by combining bureau (“desk”) and -cratie (a suffix denoting a kind of government). The English word can refer to an entire body of unelected government officials or to the problematic system (often filled with red tape) that may result from administration by bureaucrats. From its earliest appearances, bureaucracy has carried a distinctly negative connotation. An 1815 London Times article, for example, declares: “. . . it is in this bureaucracy, Gentlemen, that you will find the invisible and mischievous power which thwarts the most noble views, and prevents or weakens the effect of all the salutary reforms which France is incessantly calling for.”

Examples of bureaucracy in a Sentence

As Europe slipped deeper into the war, the uranium panel twiddled its thumbs. It was so mired in bureaucracy that by the spring of 1940, it had managed to approve only the $6,000 in research funds earmarked for Fermi and Szilard, so they could purchase uranium and graphite for their fission experiments. Jennet Conant, Tuxedo Park, 2002
In recent books and articles a small but outspoken chorus of former CIA case officers has portrayed the once proudly swashbuckling agency as a timid, politically correct bureaucracy, overly concerned with being held to account by the press and Capitol Hill. Evan Thomas, Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2002
Proving that even lumbering federal bureaucracies can move quickly when they have to, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) last week took advantage of Congress' extended holiday break to introduce its long-awaited—and, perhaps, long-dreaded—ergonomic standards. Editor & Publisher, 27 Nov. 1999
She was fed up with all the red tape and bureaucracy. Both candidates pledge to simplify the state's bloated bureaucracy.
Recent Examples on the Web Ukraine’s own domestic arms production was mired in bureaucracy, top military officials have said. Marc Santora, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2024 The only Chinese bureaucracy with more staff than the tax system is the public security apparatus, consisting of two security ministries, the People’s Armed Police, militia, the armed forces, almost all other government agencies, and a web of informants. Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Foucault and his fellow protesters are restless, their list of grievances long: soaring costs, increasing bureaucracy, new European Union regulations in its Green Deal and imports diluting their markets. Nayla Razzouk, Fortune Europe, 13 Feb. 2024 The Easter egg process is refreshingly lacking in bureaucracy for a multimillion-dollar program at a company that can require a committee meeting to order hors d’oeuvres. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 11 Feb. 2024 The issue is resource allocation and a top-heavy bureaucracy. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 The move come as farmers across Europe are protesting against EU agriculture policies, bureaucracy and overall business conditions. Sylvie Corbet, Fortune Europe, 24 Feb. 2024 French farmers’ actions are part of a broader protest movement in Europe against EU agriculture policies, bureaucracy and overall business conditions. Sylvie Corbet, Quartz, 23 Feb. 2024 The system works: China’s tax bureaucracy captures over 20 percent of the country’s GDP. Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bureaucracy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French bureaucratie, from bureau bureau + -cratie -cracy

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bureaucracy was in 1815

Dictionary Entries Near bureaucracy

Cite this Entry

“Bureaucracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bureaucracy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bureaucracy

noun
bu·​reau·​cra·​cy byu̇-ˈräk-rə-sē How to pronounce bureaucracy (audio)
plural bureaucracies
1
: a body of government officials
2
: a system of managing an organization (as a government or business) by strictly following a fixed routine or procedure that often results in delay

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