bureaucrat

/ˈbjʊərəkræt/ (bre, ipa) · [bjˈʊrəkrˌæt] /ˈbjʊrəkræt/ (ame, ipa) · [bjˈʊrəkrˌæt] /ˈbyu̇r-ə-ˌkrat How to pronounce bureaucrat (audio) ˈbyər-/ (ame, mw)

bureaucrat — noun

  • bureaucratsingular
  • bureaucratsplural

1. an official in a government office or large organization, especially one people

1.名詞C1
釋義

an official in a government office or large organization, especially one people see as caring too much about rules and paperwork.

例句

After three rejected forms, Darius called the permit officer a bureaucrat.

negative use: criticize an official for rigid paperwork

Lakshmi dreaded meeting the school bureaucrat who kept delaying her grant.

pattern: bureaucrat who delays approval

同義詞
  • official

    broader and more neutral; does not suggest rigid paperwork

  • civil servant

    neutral term for a government employee

  • administrator

    broader management term that is not necessarily governmental

  • functionary

    formal and often critical, but more bookish in tone

文法句型

a senior bureaucrat

a career bureaucrat

call someone a bureaucrat

用法筆記

Often has a negative tone, suggesting a person who follows procedure too rigidly or delays action with paperwork. For a neutral job title, official, civil servant, or administrator is usually better.

常見錯誤

❌I argued with the bureaucracy at the counter.
✅I argued with the bureaucrat at the counter.
💡bureaucracy is the system; bureaucrat is one person inside it.
❌The software firm hired two bureaucrats to design the app.
✅The software firm hired two administrators to manage the paperwork.
💡bureaucrat usually refers to officials in government or large institutions, not just any office worker.