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Synonyms

red tape

American  

noun

  1. excessive formality and routine required before official action can be taken.

red tape British  

noun

  1. obstructive official routine or procedure; time-consuming bureaucracy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
red tape 1 Cultural  

  1. Bureaucratic procedures that delay progress: “Paula had hoped to settle the inheritance quickly but got caught up in a lot of red tape.”

red tape 2 Cultural  

  1. Administrative procedures, especially in a bureaucracy, that are marked by complexity and delay: “Red tape delayed his passport.”

red tape Idioms  

  1. Official forms and procedures, especially those that are complex and time-consuming. For example, There's so much red tape involved in approving our remodeling that we're tempted to postpone it indefinitely. This expression alludes to the former British custom of tying up official documents with red ribbon. [Early 1800s]

Other Word Forms

  • redtapism noun

Etymology

Origin of red tape

First recorded in 1730–40; after the red tape used to tie official documents

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In San Francisco, Lurie has enjoyed high approval ratings and amassed a social-media following with his relentless boosterism and focus on cleaning up and cutting red tape.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

The government said it hopes to speed up decision making by stripping away "outdated regulations and overlapping consultations" as part of cuts to red tape.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

In California, state legislators are debating how to protect residents and natural resources without creating so much red tape that developers go elsewhere, taking their jobs and taxable earnings with them.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

Lam has implemented dramatic changes in nearly two years at the helm, slashing bureaucratic red tape and pushing major infrastructure investments as he aims to boost economic growth.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

"It's amazing how much red tape gets cut when everyone's rooting for one man to survive."

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.