noun
the nature of a person or organization that appears powerful but is actually powerless and ineffectual
-
he reminded Mao that the paper tiger had nuclear teeth
• Hypernyms: ↑powerlessness, ↑impotence, ↑impotency
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noun, pl ⋯ -gers [count]
: someone or something that appears powerful or dangerous but is not
The new laws are just paper tigers without any method of enforcement.
* * *
a person, a country or a situation that seems or claims to be powerful or dangerous but is not really
Useful english dictionary. 2012.