as in governmental
of, relating to, or like a nonelective government official or body of government officials
a bureaucratic institution bureaucratic procedures
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Recent Examples of bureaucratic
Lam oversaw Vietnam’s most ambitious bureaucratic overhaul since the late 1980s, cutting tens of thousands of public-sector jobs, merging ministries, redrawing provincial boundaries and pushing through major infrastructure projects.
—
Aniruddha Ghosal, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Director of Transportation Tom Vander Woude said huge cost changes likely would also include changing the scope of the project, which automatically triggers the amendment process and the resultant bureaucratic reviews.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Seen in this light, the resignations of federal government attorneys in Minneapolis are not just a bureaucratic drama.
—Stephanie A, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2026
Platforms typically introduce a more rigorous execution cadence, without turning the business into a bureaucratic machine.
—Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bureaucratic
Aniruddha Ghosal, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Director of Transportation Tom Vander Woude said huge cost changes likely would also include changing the scope of the project, which automatically triggers the amendment process and the resultant bureaucratic reviews.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Seen in this light, the resignations of federal government attorneys in Minneapolis are not just a bureaucratic drama.
—Stephanie A, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2026
Platforms typically introduce a more rigorous execution cadence, without turning the business into a bureaucratic machine.
—Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bureaucratic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bureaucratic
Adjective
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This is not guaranteed, certainly, but is perhaps more likely to happen than further governmental action.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
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Congress, which makes our laws, is the only governmental body that can repeal them.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's list of candidates won the largest share of seats in November's parliamentary elections.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
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Al-Sudani secured the most seats in November’s parliamentary elections but withdrew his candidacy this month.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The thing to remember is these administrative arrest warrants have been deemed justified by courts in immigration purposes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
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However, the Associated Press obtained an internal ICE memo that authorizes agents to use force to enter a residence on the basis of administrative warrants.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bureaucratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bureaucratic. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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