bureaucracy
noun
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The Roots of Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy was borrowed from the French bureaucratie, which itself was formed by combining bureau (“desk”) and -cratie (a suffix denoting a kind of government). The English word can refer to an entire body of unelected government officials or to the problematic system (often filled with red tape) that may result from administration by bureaucrats. From its earliest appearances, bureaucracy has carried a distinctly negative connotation. An 1815 London Times article, for example, declares: “. . . it is in this bureaucracy, Gentlemen, that you will find the invisible and mischievous power which thwarts the most noble views, and prevents or weakens the effect of all the salutary reforms which France is incessantly calling for.”
Examples of bureaucracy in a Sentence
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-awaited—and, perhaps, long-dreaded—ergonomic 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.
James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
While that hustle is often celebrated, the reality is brutal, since bureaucracy, regulation and legal liability are exhausting and time-consuming.
—Anuradha Gupta, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In a video launching his campaign, Schoemann focused on issues like homeownership for young families, supporting small businesses, building infrastructure and reducing government spending and bureaucracy.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Advertisement All because Trump has thin skin and his cogs of government bureaucracy are happy to give him cover.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bureaucracy
Cite this Entry
“Bureaucracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bureaucracy. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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bureaucracy
noun
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