bureaucracy

1. (business, organizational theory) A system of administration based upon organisation into bureaus, division of labour, a hierarchy of authority, etc., designed to dispose of a large body of work in a routine manner.Examples: "At that time the administration replaced the system of patronage in the civil service with a bureaucracy."; "Each of the most provocative selections is facing criticism that they lack the expertise and experience to run the vast, specialized bureaucracies that would be under their control."countableuncountable

2. (chiefly derogatory) Excessive red tape and routine in any administration, body or behaviour.Examples: "The head of the civil service promised to clamp down on bureaucracy."; ""If we can capture anything from this awful situation, it is that ability to trust people to do certain things for themselves and to look out for each other, and to give them the tools to do their job as well as they can without having to go through endless bureaucracy to achieve it, which very often just delays and dilutes and doesn't add much value."; "“If you have rule of the bureaucrat — if the bureaucracy is in charge, then what meaning does democracy actually have?” Musk said during his 30-minute appearance with Trump, where he rebuffed critics who said he’s the one undermining democratic institutions."Synonyms: papyrocracycountablederogatoryuncountable