The most popular online dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English
red tape
noun [U] disapprovingDefinition
› official rules and processes that seem unnecessary and cause delays: cut/cut through/reduce red tape He promised to reform and cut red tape. bureaucratic/excessive/government red tape
(Definition of red tape noun from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary
© Cambridge University Press)
Focus on the pronunciation of red tape
Our dictionaries
Browse the Thesaurus
Browse the Dictionary
Word of the Day
Blog
Read our blog about how the English language behaves.
New Words
Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.
