red tape

American  

noun

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

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red tape British  

noun

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

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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.”

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red tape ² Cultural  

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

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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]

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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

Ms. Rodríguez mouths some of the right lines about the importance of oil and gas and mining and cutting red tape.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

The government said the Crisis and Resilience Fund will provide a "single, streamlined grant cutting red tape for councils and making it easier for families to access help when they need it".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 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

The cost, in time and red tape untangling, of quarterly reporting is immense, and for larger firms can approach $100 million a year when audit fees are included.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

At first, my mom and I operate on our own schedules and in the evenings it’s like someone’s come in and divided the house with red tape.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

Related Words

• bureaucracy