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
… 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
Initial plans became irretrievably mired in the red tape of building permissions.—Bella Pollen
Their 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
Cite this Entry
“Red tape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20tape. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.
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