bureaucracy
noun
bu·reau·cra·cy
| \ byuÌ-ËrĂ€-krÉ-sÄ
, byÉ-, byÉr-ËĂ€-\
, byÉ-, byÉr-ËĂ€-\
plural bureaucracies
Definition of bureaucracy
1a
: a body of nonelective government officials
b
: an administrative policy-making 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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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-awaitedâand, perhaps, long-dreadedâergonomic 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.
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Recent Examples on the Web
The former superintendent of schools explains why layers of bureaucracy stand in the way of progress. — Dan Mcgowan, BostonGlobe.com, "We asked, the stakeholders answered: How six people would fix the Providence schools," 3 Sep. 2019 This creates an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and can slow down refunds. — Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, The Mercury News, "Travel Troubleshooter: What happened to my Hawaiian Airlines refund?," 2 Sep. 2019 This creates an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and can slow down refunds. — Christopher Elliott, chicagotribune.com, "What happened to my Hawaiian Airlines refund? Travel Troubleshooter investigates.," 29 Aug. 2019 Tired of the bureaucracy, Smith has offered solutions that would begin to help immediately. — Christopher Tremoglie, National Review, "The Republican Fighting Philadelphiaâs Opioid Crisis," 23 Aug. 2019 Mr Hartung eliminated more than 7,000 positions, or roughly 12% of the bureaucracy. — The Economist, "One Brazilian state stands out as a model of efficiency," 8 Aug. 2019 For Boeing, the changes meant shedding a layer of bureaucracy. — Natalie Kitroeff, New York Times, "The Roots of Boeingâs 737 Max Crisis: A Regulator Relaxes Its Oversight," 27 July 2019 Boerner said Thursday he was trapped in a terrible bureaucracy. — Robert Anglen, azcentral, "Disabled Arizona veteran whose mobile home was auctioned off will get to stay," 19 July 2019 Last week, Stanton lifted the moratorium but issued new guidance adding layers of bureaucracy to the certification process. — Megan Schrader, The Denver Post, "Rampell: Alex Acosta gave a pass to Jeffrey Epstein years ago. Heâs still failing victims today.," 9 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bureaucracy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for bureaucracy
bureaucracy
noun
English Language Learners Definition of bureaucracy
: a large group of people who are involved in running a government but who are not elected
often disapproving
: a system of government or business that has many complicated rules and ways of doing things
See the full definition for bureaucracy in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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