Is bureaucracy formal or informal?

What is the difference between bureaucracy and red tape?

How do I use bureaucracy in a sentence?

Is bureaucracy used in academic writing?

← Dictionary

bureaucracy

/bjʊəˈrɒkrəsi/

IELTSAcademic

noun

1. A system of government departments and rules that can be slow and complicated.

The permit process is slowed by red tape.
We need to cut through bureaucracy to act quickly.

Adinary Nuance

Near-neighbors: unlike 'administration' (neutral, everyday), bureaucracy suggests slow, frustrating rules. It differs from 'red tape' (the procedures themselves) and 'paperwork' (just documents), often implying excessive complexity.

In other languages

Spanish: Burocracia
Japanese: 官僚主義 (kanryōshugi)
Korean: 관료주의
Vietnamese: Sơ quan hành chính, quan liêu
Chinese: 官僚主义

Etymology

From French 'bureau' (office) + '-cracy' (rule); the modern sense of slow administration grew from 19th-century government structures.

Common phrases

heavy bureaucracyred tapebureaucratic processcut through bureaucracy

Synonyms

administrative complexity officialdom regulations hierarchy procedure

Frequently asked questions

Is bureaucracy formal or informal?: Is bureaucracy formal or informal?
What is the difference between bureaucracy and red tape?: What is the difference between bureaucracy and red tape?
How do I use bureaucracy in a sentence?: How do I use bureaucracy in a sentence?
Is bureaucracy used in academic writing?: Is bureaucracy used in academic writing?