Definitions

1. noun

A person, especially a low-ranking one, who holds a position of authority, often in a totalitarian government, especially in the former Soviet Union.

“The apparatchik was responsible for overseeing the implementation of the new policy in the regional office.”

2. noun

A person who is seen as being part of the machinery or bureaucracy of an organization, often in a way that is seen as being unresponsive or unaccountable.

“The new CEO vowed to reduce the number of apparatchiks in the company and increase transparency.”