significant red tape

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "significant red tape" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe bureaucratic obstacles or excessive regulations that hinder progress or efficiency in a process. Example: "The project was delayed due to significant red tape involved in obtaining the necessary permits."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It calculated that almost £1,000 a year would be added to household spending under the worst-case scenario of a hard Brexit, which it said would cause significant red tape and have World Trade Organization tariffs and increased labour costs.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mary Pitcher and her team, through tremendous efforts, a significant amount of red tape, and goodwill from the community, saw their labor of love come to fruition.

Huffington Post

The most significant triangulation was on red tape.

The Guardian

"One of the things we heard is that oftentimes the city's own policies and procedures and bureaucratic red tape plays a significant role in delaying the time," Santana said.

Los Angeles Times

Japan doesn't have a significant child care industry because of bureaucratic red tape and low wages, and nannies are nonexistent.

Huffington Post

At present smaller and new-entrant organisations face significant barriers in terms of regulation and procurement red tape when entering the public services market.

The Guardian

Additionally, Greece will have to make a series of significant administrative reforms, such as restricting collective bargaining and eliminating red tape.

Huffington Post

Red tape at the state and city level is a significant obstacle to companies looking to lay fiber, put up new wireless hardware and so on.

TechCrunch

That creates a significant regulatory gap, and unfairly targets third-party lobbyists, who are forced to comply with red tape that others can ignore.

The Guardian

The red tape.

The Economist

"No more red tape.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "significant red tape", ensure that the context clearly illustrates the negative impact or hindrance caused by the excessive bureaucracy. Provide specific examples or details to emphasize the severity of the issue.

Common error

Avoid using "significant red tape" as a generic complaint about bureaucracy. Ensure that the level of red tape genuinely warrants the description of "significant" by providing evidence of substantial delays, costs, or other negative consequences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "significant red tape" functions as a noun phrase, where "significant" modifies "red tape", intensifying the degree of bureaucratic hindrance. As Ludwig AI explains, this phrase effectively points to the presence of substantial regulatory obstacles. It can be used as a subject, object, or complement within a sentence.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "significant red tape" is a noun phrase used to describe notably excessive bureaucracy that hinders progress. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. While its occurrence is relatively rare in the provided examples, the phrase appears predominantly in News & Media, Academia, and Formal & Business contexts. When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly justifies the 'significant' qualifier, highlighting substantial delays or costs caused by the red tape. Alternatives include "substantial bureaucracy" and "excessive regulation".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

substantial bureaucracy

Focuses on the scale of bureaucratic processes, emphasizing their extensiveness.

excessive regulation

Highlights that the regulations are beyond what is necessary or reasonable.

onerous procedures

Emphasizes the burdensome nature of the processes involved.

cumbersome paperwork

Focuses specifically on the difficulty and complexity of the required documentation.

heavy regulatory burden

Highlights the weight and impact of the regulations on businesses or individuals.

extensive bureaucratic hurdles

Emphasizes the barriers created by bureaucratic processes.

complex administrative requirements

Focuses on the intricacy and difficulty of the administrative processes.

labyrinthine regulations

Suggests a complicated and confusing network of regulations.

strict compliance protocols

Highlights the rigidity and need to conform precisely to rules.

unnecessary formalities

Focuses on the redundant or superfluous nature of the required steps.

FAQs

How can I replace "significant red tape" in a sentence?

Alternatives include "substantial bureaucracy", "excessive regulation", or "onerous procedures" depending on the context.

What does "significant red tape" typically refer to?

It usually describes situations where bureaucratic processes are overly complex, time-consuming, and impede progress or efficiency. It implies that the level of bureaucracy is notably high and problematic.

Is "significant red tape" a formal or informal expression?

It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though it's more common in news, business, or academic settings when discussing regulatory challenges or bureaucratic inefficiencies.

What are the consequences of "significant red tape"?

Consequences may include project delays, increased costs, reduced innovation, and overall inefficiency in organizations or systems. The phrase is used to highlight the negative impact of excessive bureaucracy.