English Reference
Idiom idiom

faceless bureaucrat


A stereotypical anonymous, interchangeable and unaccountable government official.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

A faceless bureaucrat denied my application without any explanation.

CONTEXTUAL

The local residents felt frustrated because every request they sent was blocked by some faceless bureaucrat in a distant office.

COMPLEX

The reform failed because every attempt at progress was systematically dismantled by a faceless bureaucrat who prioritized rigid procedure over the public good.


Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    faceless man

    Someone who is not elected to political office, but exerts power over political affairs from behind the scenes.

Last updated August 10, 2026