bureaucrat
gb/bjˈʊɹoʊkɹˌæt/ us/bjˈʊɹoʊkɹˌæt/
B2
English
~ 9200
köztisztviselő, hivatalnok, bürokrata
NOUN
B2
1
hivatalnok
B1
Usage pattern:
a bureaucrat in [a government department/agency]
After twenty years as a bureaucrat in the finance ministry, she knows the budget process inside out.
Húsz év után a pénzügyminisztérium köztisztviselőjeként kívülről-belülről ismeri a költségvetési folyamatot.
Local bureaucrats are responsible for processing business licenses and permits.
A helyi köztisztviselők felelősek a vállalkozói engedélyek és más hatósági engedélyek ügyintézéséért.
The new policy was written by senior bureaucrats in the education department.
Many bureaucrats remain in their posts even when the ruling party changes.
As a career bureaucrat, he advised several different presidents on health policy.
Learner examples
Her father is a bureaucrat in the city government.
Az apja köztisztviselő a városi önkormányzatnál.
The bureaucrats in this office check all the forms carefully.
Ebben a hivatalban a hivatalnokok minden nyomtatványt gondosan ellenőriznek.
Many bureaucrats stay in the same job for many years.
I met a friendly bureaucrat who helped me with my passport.
The country has thousands of bureaucrats working in the capital.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bureaucrat' (a person) with 'bureaucracy' (the system or organization) and 'bureaucratic' (an adjective). For example, they may say *'the bureaucrat of our country is very slow'* when they mean 'the bureaucracy of our country is very slow'.
Meaning
Non-elected government administrator
Collocations
career bureaucrat
|senior bureaucrat
|government bureaucrat
|unelected bureaucrat
|high-ranking bureaucrat
|federal bureaucrat
Synonyms
civil servant (More neutral and commonly used in British English for a government administrator; slightly less negative than 'bureaucrat'.)
|
government official (Broader term that can include both administrative staff and high-level decision-makers.)
Antonyms
businessperson (Works in the private sector rather than in government administration, so is an opposite in terms of workplace and role.)
Themes
politics
|work
|law
Definition
A person who works in the government office system, doing administrative work but not making laws or winning elections.
A non-elected government official whose job is to manage and carry out public administration, especially within ministries, agencies, or departments.
NOUN
C1
2
bürokrata
B2
Usage pattern:
a [petty/faceless] bureaucrat who [does something]
The project was delayed for months by a petty bureaucrat who kept asking for new forms.
A projektet hónapokkal késleltette egy kicsinyes bürokrata, aki folyton újabb űrlapokat kért.
She called the immigration officer a heartless bureaucrat for refusing the visa on a tiny technicality.
Szívtelen bürokratának nevezte a bevándorlási tisztviselőt, amiért egy apró technikai kifogás miatt megtagadta a vízumot.
Entrepreneurs complain that faceless bureaucrats make it too hard to start a business.
He felt trapped in a system run by bureaucrats who cared more about paperwork than people.
Instead of helping, the local bureaucrats hid behind regulations and refused to take responsibility.
Learner examples
We lost a week because one bureaucrat wanted another signature.
Elvesztettünk egy hetet, mert egy bürokrata még egy aláírást akart.
Many people think bureaucrats only say no and ask for more papers.
Sokan úgy gondolják, hogy a bürokraták csak nemet mondanak, és még több papírt kérnek.
He is a real bureaucrat and will not bend any rule.
They blamed some petty bureaucrats for stopping the new plan.
People were angry at the bureaucrats who made the process so slow.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'bureaucrat' is always negative. In fact, it can be neutral in meaning 1, but in many news stories and conversations it has this critical sense of being rule-obsessed and unhelpful. Context usually shows which sense is intended.
Meaning
Rule-obsessed, obstructive official
Collocations
petty bureaucrat
|faceless bureaucrat
|paper-pushing bureaucrat
|obstructive bureaucrat
|unhelpful bureaucrat
Synonyms
paper-pusher (Informal and clearly negative; focuses on doing pointless paperwork rather than being helpful.)
|
jobsworth (British informal; strongly critical of someone who refuses to be flexible because 'it's more than my job's worth'.)
Antonyms
problem-solver (Describes someone who focuses on finding practical solutions rather than blocking action with rules and procedures.)
Themes
work
|society
|emotions
|politics
|communication
Definition
An office worker, usually in government, who follows every rule very strictly and makes things slow and difficult for people.
A government or administrative official who is seen as caring more about rules, forms, and procedures than about helping people or getting results, often causing delay or frustration.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bureaucrat
IPA
GB/bjˈʊɹoʊkɹˌæt/
US/bjˈʊɹoʊkɹˌæt/
Syllables & stress
bur - eau - crat (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (bur)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bureaucrat
- Plural: bureaucrats
Word family
Forms
bureaucrats
noun
Core family
bureaucracy
noun B2
bureaucratic
adjective B2
Related words
bureaucratically
adverb C1
Negative and opposite forms
unbureaucratic
adjective
Advanced or less common
bureaucratize
verb
bureaucratization
noun C2
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.