paper tiger

noun

: one that is outwardly powerful or dangerous but inwardly weak or ineffectual

Examples of paper tiger in a Sentence

The new laws are just paper tigers without any method of enforcement.

Recent Examples on the Web The problems are far beyond the Center being a paper tiger or a rudderless ship. —

Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 7 July 2024 The failure to hit a single target might persuade Tehran’s adversaries that the regime is a paper tiger. —

Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2024 That’s not entirely inaccurate: The historical figures in the way of the likes of Alice Paul (Taub), Carrie Catt (Jen Colella) and Ida B. Wells (Nikki M. James) are buffoonish paper tigers devoid of argument or veracity. —

Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 18 Apr. 2024 Iran’s leadership felt compelled to strike Israel in order to reiterate its position as a regional powerhouse and to dispel notions of it as a paper tiger. —

Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for paper tiger

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paper tiger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.