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
Some ostensible environmental regulations are also holding back new clean energy deployment, and in some cases, the red tape is being cynically weaponized against projects like offshore wind farms.
—Umair Irfan, Vox, 22 Apr. 2025
Comprehensive Downsizing The Trump administration has already reignited the deregulatory agenda with a flurry of executive actions targeting red tape and bureaucratic bloat.
—Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Bass, as part of her effort to reduce homelessness, has cut red tape for certain types of affordable housing projects.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Graham credited the Trump administration with helping cut through bureaucratic red tape that often slows recovery efforts in disaster zones.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for red tape
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Umair Irfan, Vox, 22 Apr. 2025
Comprehensive Downsizing The Trump administration has already reignited the deregulatory agenda with a flurry of executive actions targeting red tape and bureaucratic bloat.
—Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Bass, as part of her effort to reduce homelessness, has cut red tape for certain types of affordable housing projects.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Graham credited the Trump administration with helping cut through bureaucratic red tape that often slows recovery efforts in disaster zones.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 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 30 Apr. 2025.
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