paper tiger

noun

: one that is outwardly powerful or dangerous but inwardly weak or ineffectual

Examples of paper tiger in a Sentence

The new laws are just paper tigers without any method of enforcement.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Saudi Arabia’s catastrophic military intervention in Yemen from 2015 to 2022 ended in abject failure by all accounts, exposing the kingdom as the paper tiger of the Middle East. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 29 July 2026 In the region, the United States will have proved itself a paper tiger, forcing the Gulf and other Arab states to accommodate Iran. — Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 10 May 2026 Until last weekend, Beijing’s statutes were a paper tiger. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 4 May 2026 Not all right-to-disconnect laws are created equal, of course; design choices determine whether the policy is a paper tiger or a performance enhancer. — Gleb Tsipursky, Washington Post, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paper tiger

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paper tiger was in 1836

Rhymes for paper tiger

See All Rhymes for paper tiger

Browse Nearby Words

paper-thin
paper tiger
paper towel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paper tiger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paper%20tiger. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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