Meaning of paper tiger | Babel Free

Definitions

Something or someone that appears powerful, strong or threatening but is in reality weak, ineffective, or unable to withstand challenge.

idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“The League of Nations was by this time scarcely even a paper tiger, devoid of credibility since its divisions and pusillanimity had been so clearly laid bare following Mussolini's invasion of Abyssinia in the autumn of 1935.”

“Iran is a paper tiger, a postmodern threat: It has many uses but a third Western war against a Muslim country is a bridge too far.”

“Trump also said Russia’s economy was in big trouble and described its military as a “paper tiger”.”

CEFR level