Kafkaesque
Say it: kaf-kuh-ESK /ˌkæfkəˈɛsk/ · adjective
What “Kafkaesque” means
Trapped in frightening, confusing rules that make no sense.
More precisely: Nightmarishly complex, illogical and bureaucratic.
Example: “Renewing my visa was Kafkaesque: each office sent me to another.”
When to use it
When describing bewildering official systems that trap people in senseless rules, with a serious or darkly comic tone.
Similar words
nightmarish, labyrinthine, absurd
Where it comes from
From the Czech writer Franz Kafka, author of The Trial.
Quick check
To appeal a fine, you need permission from the office that refuses permission unless you've already appealed. This feels…
inconvenient or Kafkaesque?
Show the answer
Kafkaesque
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