1. excessive adherence to official rules and procedures, especially in a rigid or bureaucratic manner
2. the characteristic behavior or attitudes of officials or bureaucrats

Examples

• The company’s officialism made it difficult for employees to get simple requests approved quickly.
• Citizens complained about the government agency’s excessive officialism and lack of common sense.
• The school’s strict officialism prevented teachers from making reasonable accommodations for students.
• His promotion to manager brought out an unfortunate streak of officialism in his leadership style.
• The organization tried to reduce officialism by streamlining its approval processes.
• Many small businesses struggle with the officialism of regulatory compliance.