red tape

noun

: official routine or procedure marked by excessive complexity which results in delay or inaction

bureaucratic red tape

… enterprisers that show how people across the Nation are coping (or not coping) with such problems as unemployment, the budget deficit and Government red tape.

—John Weisman

… pompous officials (often lowly clerks) in love with red tape who delight in obstructing the expedition of what should be simple procedures.

—Norman W. Schur

Initial plans became irretrievably mired in the red tape of building permissions.

—Bella Pollen

Their plan is simple enough and none too glamorous: create a Web site to help people cut through red tape; i.e., pay for parking tickets and so on.

—Sarah Kerr

Examples of red tape in a Sentence

You would not believe the red tape involved in getting the required permits.

Recent Examples on the Web

The dramedy, shot with a skeleton crew of only 10 people, blends narrative and documentary styles to follow its title character through a day of red tape, cultural identity and survival through laughter. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026

As open enrollment begins, Floridians should understand these rules aren’t just red tape. —Alex Mejia Garcia, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026

Subjecting hundreds of pages of county climate proposals to another governmental review process requiring hundreds of pages of reviews layers red tape upon red tape. —The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026

Getting everyone on board As the legislative committee develops initiatives to help cut down red tape, Wicks is adamant that new state regulations are just one piece of the puzzle that municipalities must also solve. —Amancai Biraben, Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from the red tape formerly used to bind legal documents in England

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for red tape

• agape
• escape
• landscape
• lenape
• reshape
• seascape
• soundscape
• ape
• cape
• crape
• crepe
• drape

Kids Definition

red tape

noun

: rules and regulations that waste people's time