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

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Etymology

Origin of red tape

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

red tape

Bass said she has cut red tape to ensure that Palisades residents can rebuild their homes, and apologized for being gone when the blaze broke out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

In California, another expensive state for housing, Proposition 45 also aims to cut local red tape.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

Within an hour, Sramek warned of an obstacle: county government red tape.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

But for now that transformation is complicated by red tape and the high costs of upgrading railway infrastructure.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Ophelia’s father put up the money—about $4,500—and because PIH had no red tape and little overhead, the school was built right away.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

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Related Words

• bureaucracy

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