bureaucratic
adjective C1
Plain meaning
connected with complicated official rules and procedures
Exam-register meaning
In academic or exam contexts, it means connected with complicated official rules and procedures, usually in a more formal register.
In context
naturalHis response sounded bureaucratic, so the conversation became difficult.
examThe passage presents a bureaucratic assessment of the policy’s wider consequences.
Common collocations
a bureaucratic responsebureaucratic behavioura bureaucratic situation
Watch out
Do not use “very bureaucratic” automatically; some advanced adjectives already carry a strong meaning or need a more natural intensifier.
Word family
bureaucraticness (noun, where natural)bureaucraticly (adverb, where natural)