World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesKafkaesque
/ˌkɑːf.kəˈɛsk/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
Characteristic or reminiscent of the oppressive or nightmarish qualities of Franz Kafka's fictional world, typically involving complex, bizarrely impenetrable administrative or bureaucratic systems.
"Trying to get a simple refund from the company turned into a kafkaesque ordeal of endless phone transfers and lost paperwork." - 2
Marked by a senseless, disorienting, and often threatening complexity.
"He found himself trapped in a kafkaesque nightmare of conflicting legal charges."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the surname of Franz Kafka (1883–1924), the influential German-language Bohemian novelist whose works explored nightmarish, surreal, and incomprehensible bureaucratic landscapes. Combined with the English suffix '-esque', meaning 'in the style of', it entered the English language in the mid-20th century to describe situations reminiscent of his fictional worlds.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Kafkaesque"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Kafkaesque" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
kafkaïen
Transliteration: kaf-ka-i-ɛ̃
"Ses démarches administratives sont devenues tout à fait kafkaïennes."
kafkaesk
Transliteration: kafl-ka-ɛsk
"Die Behördenangelegenheit entwickelte sich zu einem kafkaesken Albtraum."
kafkiano
Transliteration: kaf-ˈkja-no
"Ho vissuto un'esperienza kafkiana all'ufficio postale."
kafkiano
Transliteration: kaf-ˈkja-no
"El sistema judicial puede parecer kafkiano para los ciudadanos comunes."
kafkiano
Transliteration: kaf-ki-ˈɐ-nu
"O processo para obter o visto tornou-se uma situação kafkiana."
काफ्का जैसा
Transliteration: kafkā jaisā
"सरकारी दफ्तरों के चक्कर लगाना एक काफ्का जैसा अनुभव है।"
卡夫ka式的
Transliteration: kǎ fū qiǎ shì de
Script: 卡夫卡式的
"这起官司演变成了一场卡夫卡式的噩梦。"
카프카적
Transliteration: kapeu-ka-jeok
"그 행정 절차는 완전히 카프카적이었다."
カフカ的
Transliteration: kafuka-teki
"その官僚的な手続きはまるまるカフカ的だった。"
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