red tape

noun

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

red tape

noun

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

red tape

¹

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

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

Other Word Forms

• redtapism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of red tape¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of red tape¹

C18: from the red tape used to bind official government documents

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

The status quo, Buechel said, wasn’t working: He showed a presentation indicating the grocery division’s processes were full of red tape.

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“She was very good at helping to navigate the red tape, so we could get the project open,” said Gritzner, who represented one of the project’s developers.

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"The burden of unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy ramps up their costs and damages competitiveness," she said.

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At the Regional Investment Summit in Birmingham on Tuesday, Reeves will announce reforms to scrap paperwork and red tape, which she claims will save companies almost £6bn a year.

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The city must keep tackling drug use and address a shortage of affordable housing, Lurie says, as well as bring more retail back and further cut red tape that can be onerous for businesses.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bureaucracy