bureaucracy

[ byoo-rok-ruh-see ]

noun

, plural bu·reauc·ra·cies.

1. government by many bureaus, administrators, and petty officials.
2. the body of officials and administrators, especially of a government or government department.
3. excessive multiplication of, and concentration of power in, administrative bureaus or administrators.
4. administration characterized by excessive red tape and routine.

bureaucracy

/ bjʊəˈrɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. a system of administration based upon organization into bureaus, division of labour, a hierarchy of authority, etc: designed to dispose of a large body of work in a routine manner
2. government by such a system
3. government or other officials collectively
4. any administration in which action is impeded by unnecessary official procedures and red tape

bureaucracy

1. A formal, hierarchical organization with many levels in which tasks, responsibilities, and authority are delegated among individuals, offices, or departments, held together by a central administration. According to many sociologists and anthropologists, the development of bureaucratic organizations is necessary for the emergence of any modern civilization. ( See Max Weber .)

Notes

Today, the term bureaucracy suggests a lack of initiative, excessive adherence to rules and routine, red tape (see also red tape ), inefficiency, or, even more serious, an impersonal force dominating the lives of individuals. ( See Big Brother is watching you .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of bureaucracy¹

First recorded in 1810–20; bureau + -cracy, modeled on French bureaucratie

Example Sentences

The incoming president, who takes office Jan. 20, 2025, said the two businessmen — among his most vocal surrogates during the presidential campaign — will operate outside of the federal bureaucracy.

From Los Angeles Times

Experts in the federal bureaucracy emphasized that the most successful past reorganizations — particularly one driven by President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore — have relied on those inside the bureaucracy to figure out how to maintain services while cutting staffing and saving money.

From Los Angeles Times

The Pentagon bureaucracy is deeply entrenched; it can wear out far more agile players than Hegseth.

From Slate

Of course, Trump is one of that show’s regular viewers, and, to the surprise of his advisers, he picked Hegseth to run the Department of Defense—the country’s largest bureaucracy, with 2.8 million employees and a budget this year of $841 billion—because he liked a lot of what the rugged-looking co-host was saying.

From Slate

Donald Trump has said that Musk - and his co-head at the new Department of Government Efficiency, Vivek Ramaswamy - will achieve the savings from dismantling government bureaucracy, slashing excess regulations and restructuring government agencies.

From BBC

Related Words

• administration
• authority
• civil service
• management
• ministry
• red tape