Word
bureaucracy
Phoneticsbu·reau·cra·cy, stress on the second syllable
US/bjʊˈɹɑkɹəsi/
UK/bjɔːɹˈɒkɹəsˌi/
Definitions
01administrative system
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a system of government or business where many people and departments follow strict rules to get work done.
n. a system of administration based on organization into bureaus, division of labor, and a hierarchy of authority.
Español:burocracia
“The university bureaucracy makes it difficult for students to change their majors quickly.”
“Modern states rely on a complex bureaucracy to manage public services and ensure that regulations are applied consistently across the population.”
Synonyms
02excessive rules
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. too many complicated rules and processes that make it hard to achieve something.
n. excessive adherence to official rules and routine, often resulting in delay or inaction.
Español:burocracia
“I had to deal with so much bureaucracy just to get a simple parking permit.”
“The entrepreneur complained that the sheer amount of bureaucracy involved in starting a small business was enough to discourage most investors.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03the officials
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the group of people who work in and manage a large administrative system.
n. the collective body of administrators and officials, especially within a government framework.
日本語:官僚※
“The state bureaucracy was slow to respond to the needs of the local community.”
“Tensions between the elected politicians and the permanent bureaucracy often lead to significant delays in implementing new legislative policies.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “bureaucracy” in context.
Verb
01. cut through the bureaucracy
“The new CEO promised to cut through the bureaucracy to speed up decision-making.”
verb + prep + noun
02. dismantle the bureaucracy
“The administration aims to dismantle the bureaucracy that has hindered economic growth for decades.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. bloated bureaucracy
“Critics argue that the bloated bureaucracy consumes too much of the taxpayer's money.”
adj + noun
04. entrenched bureaucracy
“It is difficult to implement reforms when facing an entrenched bureaucracy resistant to change.”
adj + noun
05. stifling bureaucracy
“Many talented employees left the company to escape the stifling bureaucracy.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. layers of bureaucracy
“We had to navigate several layers of bureaucracy just to get a simple permit.”
noun + of + noun
07. mountain of bureaucracy
“Small business owners often struggle with a mountain of bureaucracy when filing their taxes.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. mired in bureaucracy
“The infrastructure project has been mired in bureaucracy for over three years.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Adjusting to a new country can also be highly stressful, between language barriers, money woes and immigration-related bureaucracy.” “More than a looping melody, it has become the soundtrack of modern bureaucracy, an audible reminder that our time has value, just not always to the company keeping us waiting.” “According to the non-profit Foundation for Aviation Safety, asking the country where the accident occurs to oversee an investigation "can trap the process within local bureaucracies or political pressures.” Etymology
From bureau + -cracy, from French bureaucratie, coined by Jean Claude Marie Vincent de Gournay from bureau (“office”) + -cratie (“rule of”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/bureaucracy
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0