Kafkaesque
adjective /ˌkæfkəˈesk/
/ˌkɑːfkəˈesk/
- used to describe a situation that is confusing and frightening, especially one involving complicated official rules and systems that do not seem to make any sense
- My attempt to get a new passport turned into a Kafkaesque nightmare.
Word OriginFrom the name of the Czech writer Franz Kafka, whose novels often describe situations like this.