Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Showing results for red tape. Search instead for kreuzstapel.
Definitions

red tape

NOUN
bureaucratic rules
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bureaucracy
WEAK
authority bureaucratic paperwork city hall government management official forms official procedures officialdom officialism paper shuffling powers that be proper channels regulatory commission the Establishment the system

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You can probably still do it, make no mistake, but it might take you a few minutes, and there’s a chance you’ll get caught in red tape.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

DeSantis signs a law that slashes red tape and lets educators build facilities in commercial districts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The government said the Crisis and Resilience Fund will provide a "single, streamlined grant cutting red tape for councils and making it easier for families to access help when they need it".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

He has staked his leadership on aggressive reforms that aim to deliver double-digit growth, slashing bureaucratic red tape, empowering the private sector and channelling vast resources into mega-projects.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Judge Biederman says that she is going to overlook all of the red tape for now.

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan