Vocab Bloom Hub

paper tiger

/ˈpeɪpər ˈtaɪɡər/

1 entry

phrase

/ˈpeɪpər ˈtaɪɡər/C1formalpolitical
  • ruЧеловек, организация или вещь, которые кажутся угрожающими или могущественными, но на самом деле слабы или неэффективны.
  1. Seemingly powerful but weakB2informal

    A person, organization, or thing that appears threatening or powerful but is actually weak or ineffective.

    ruБумажный тигр

    • The dictator was just a paper tiger; his army had no real strength.
    • The company's threats to sue were a paper tiger; they never followed through.
    • The new law is a paper tiger, as it has no enforcement mechanism.