noun phrase · formal
bureaucratic red tape
UK/ˌbjʊərəˈkrætɪk ˈrɛd teɪp/US/ˌbjʊrəˈkrætɪk ˈrɛd teɪp/bu·REAU·cratic·RED·tape
Excessive or unnecessary administrative procedures and formalities that cause delay.
Examples
“Small businesses often complain about bureaucratic red tape when applying for licences.”
“Reducing bureaucratic red tape can encourage foreign investment.”
“Citizens said that bureaucratic red tape made it hard to access public services quickly.”
Band 8 sentence
“Excessive bureaucratic red tape not only deters entrepreneurs but also undermines citizens' trust in public institutions.”
Collocations
- cut through bureaucratic red tape
- suffocated by bureaucratic red tape
- reduce bureaucratic red tape
Word family
Common mistakes
bureaucratic difficulty→bureaucratic red tape
paperwork problem→bureaucratic red tape
Say it for a higher band
5paperwork→6bureaucratic paperwork→7+bureaucratic red tape
Synonyms
administrative burden
Easily confused
administrative burden
“The administrative burden of the new reporting rules has hit small charities hard.”
Related words
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In Society & Government
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