red tape
noun
: official routine or procedure marked by excessive complexity which results in delay or inaction
bureaucratic red tape
… enterprisers that show how people across the Nation are coping (or not coping) with such problems as unemployment, the budget deficit and Government red tape.—
John Weisman
John Weisman… pompous officials (often lowly clerks) in love with red tape who delight in obstructing the expedition of what should be simple procedures.—Norman W. Schur
Norman W. SchurInitial plans became irretrievably mired in the red tape of building permissions.—Bella Pollen
Bella PollenTheir plan is simple enough and none too glamorous: create a Web site to help people cut through red tape; i.e., pay for parking tickets and so on.—Sarah Kerr
Sarah KerrExamples of red tape in a Sentence
You would not believe the red tape involved in getting the required permits.
Recent Examples on the Web
Innovation keeps moving instead of hitting red tape.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Massachusetts fishermen are looking to cut red tape that has blocked them from accessing an area of ocean booming with scallops compared to surrounding waters grappling with a decline in catchable biomass.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 31 July 2025
Sections 207 and 208 also aim to streamline construction by cutting down on red tape around environmental restrictions.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
The bill cuts much of the red tape around zoning and building standards and streamlines inspections across federal programs to improve efficiency.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for red tape
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Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Massachusetts fishermen are looking to cut red tape that has blocked them from accessing an area of ocean booming with scallops compared to surrounding waters grappling with a decline in catchable biomass.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 31 July 2025
Sections 207 and 208 also aim to streamline construction by cutting down on red tape around environmental restrictions.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
The bill cuts much of the red tape around zoning and building standards and streamlines inspections across federal programs to improve efficiency.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for red tape
Cite this Entry
“Red tape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20tape. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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