word
Bureaucratic red tape
byoo-ROK-rat-ik RED tayp
/bjʊˌrɒkrəˈtɪk ˈrɛd teɪp/Listen
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Syllable breakdown
bureaucraticredtape
Dictionary meaning
Excessive official rules, regulations, and formalities that impede efficient action or decision-making within government or large organisations, often resulting in unnecessary delays.
Examples
- Small businesses complained that bureaucratic red tape made it difficult to obtain licences.
- Reformers promised to cut bureaucratic red tape to speed up infrastructure approvals.
Synonyms: administrative burden, overregulation, paperwork
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