paper tiger

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In posts below it, users called the United States a “warmonger” and a “paper tiger.”

From New York Times

Fingers crossed that omicron is a paper tiger.

From Washington Post

The reference is to the manufactured confrontation by Britain over the Suez Canal in 1956, after which the British Empire, which by that time existed in name only, became manifestly a paper tiger.

From Salon

If a Meadows referral were to come out the other way, it could once again brand Congress a paper tiger.

From Los Angeles Times

Cortese calls the industry’s gun safety guidelines “a paper tiger” because, as “Rust” proved, they can too easily be ignored.

From Los Angeles Times