What is the meaning of paper tiger?

noun

  • The nature of a person or organization that appears powerful but is actually powerless and ineffectual.
    • usage: "he reminded Mao that the paper tiger had nuclear teeth"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). paper tiger. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/paper_tiger/definitions/1211943
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "paper tiger" http://smartdefine.org/paper_tiger/definitions/1211943 (accessed September 21, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, paper tiger, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/paper_tiger/definitions/1211943>.
MLAWordNet. "paper tiger" 23 October 2010. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/paper_tiger/definitions/1211943>