adjective
Kafkaesque
— from Franz Kafka, 1883–1924
Nightmarishly absurd, especially in the face of impersonal bureaucracy.
Origin
From Franz Kafka's stories — The Trial, The Castle, Metamorphosis — in which protagonists face inscrutable systems that judge and crush them for reasons no one will explain.
Modern usage
Said of dealing with government agencies, insurance companies, immigration processes, customer service hell, and bureaucratic loops that lead nowhere.
In the wild
Trying to dispute the charge was a Kafkaesque ordeal.— common usage
Navigating the new permit system has been Kafkaesque — every form refers to another form that doesn't appear to exist.— The Guardian, 2024