Definition of bureaucratnext
as in clerk
a worker in a government agency the bureaucrats at the town hall seem to think that we need a building permit to build a tree house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bureaucrat The bureaucrats in Brussels are struggling to keep up with the breakneck pace of technological progress. Editorial Board, Washington Post, 4 Aug. 2026 But when a bureaucrat from Seoul arrives, stubbornly ignoring all warnings to avoid the infection, Mu-young must decide who she is truly meant to protect. Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026 Porter sketched Trotsky holding forth at a conference table, proselytizing to the American bureaucrats. Dan Chiasson, The New York Review of Books, 1 Aug. 2026 Even more troubling is a series of robberies centered around the Department of Damage Control, a government facility dedicated to containing and controlling supper-happenings, that’s run by a bureaucrat named Metzger. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bureaucrat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bureaucrat
Noun
  • But the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned the murder convictions this May and ordered a retrial, saying Colleton County’s then-clerk tainted the first trial with what the defense said was prejudicial comments to the jury.
    Devon M. Sayers, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned Murdaugh’s conviction for murdering his wife and son earlier this year -- citing jury tampering by the court clerk in the case -- Judge Debra McCaslin scheduled his retrial for April 5, 2027.
    Janice McDonald, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Shortly after Lyon's email, Charles forwarded the message to a group of officials whose names are redacted.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In response to a request for comment on the incident, USPS officials shared a statement with CBS LA.
    Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In Meyer’s hands, the adventuress sometimes recedes into a functionary.
    David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Pernkopf was a Nazi functionary who became dean of the medical faculty in 1938 and rector of the university in 1943.
    Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But that constant movement is also making Ebola harder to contain, complicating efforts to find infected people and trace those who may have been exposed, said Mari Ndika, an Ebola response worker involved in disease monitoring.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Entry-level workers feel more pressure The effects appear to be more pronounced for those looking to start their careers.
    Jenny Lee, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • If a foreign state treated these law enforcement operations as armed conflict, the private sector employees running them would not be combatants under international law and would not have POW or other protections.
    Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Fuller is nearly six months into the new position, created as Texas faces growing scrutiny over how school districts handle allegations involving teachers, coaches, and other school employees.
    Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bureaucrat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bureaucrat. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on bureaucrat

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster