bureaucratic

adjective

bu·​reau·​crat·​ic ˌbyu̇r-ə-ˈkra-tik How to pronounce bureaucratic (audio)
ˌbyər-
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a bureaucracy or a bureaucrat
bureaucratic government
a bureaucratic organization
bureaucratic procedures
bureaucratically adverb

Examples of bureaucratic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Though the efficiency and growth results can be very powerful, the program is most successful when a mothership organization trusts the new group enough to separate it from the bureaucratic command and control culture. Dean Debiase, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 His rhetoric alienates job creators, leaving entrepreneurs to face bureaucratic red tape and an uncertain future. Mike Dunleavy, New York Daily News, 14 July 2025 Housing supply remains chronically low, and every policy designed to fix it gets swallowed up by bureaucratic red tape, labor restrictions, and environmental lawsuits. Melissa Melendez, Oc Register, 13 July 2025 White House advisers are now unequivocally engaged in a coordinated effort to dramatically ramp up the pressure on Powell in public statements and through bureaucratic moves designed to give Trump more leverage. Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bureaucratic

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French bureaucratique, from bureaucrate bureaucrat or bureaucratie bureaucracy + -ique -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bureaucratic was in 1800

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bureaucratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bureaucratic. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

bureaucratic

adjective
bu·​reau·​crat·​ic ˌbyu̇r-ə-ˈkrat-ik How to pronounce bureaucratic (audio)
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a bureaucracy or bureaucrat
bureaucratically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on bureaucratic

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