paper tiger Hear it!

paper tiger definition

☆ paper tiger

a person, nation, etc. that seems to pose a threat but is actually ineffective or powerless

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.