"Empowering Advanced Learners of English in Business and Academia - TOEFL / ESL / EFL"

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paper tiger

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Definition


Someone appearing strong but who is actually weak.

Context : History, Politics
Category: Metaphor
Semantic: weak

Usage of “paper tiger”

  1. The army was a paper tiger, the rebels took over the capital in seven days.

Examples of idiom “paper tiger” from Twitter
  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'filmblind'
    filmblind:

    Phrase for the week. paper tiger. Meaning one that is outwardly powerful or dangerous but inwardly weak or ineffectual

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'ArthurandTrish'
    ArthurandTrish:

    The Phony Lion! Is acting like something he is not. Actually he is only a fake or phony lion. Or as the Chinese say "a paper tiger" !!!!!

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'kestrellace'
    kestrellace:

    take a lighter to that paper tiger called fear and burn it to oblivion!

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'wrath_of_Gott'
    wrath_of_Gott:

    Sarich KOs Chimera. Soft Eastern conference paper tiger teams

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'mrgodsill'
    mrgodsill:

    people love constructing paper tigers

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'andreaklee'
    andreaklee:

    RT @ask_larry: The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is tenacity. Our fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do.

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'pmarus78'
    pmarus78:

    Tired of: paper tigers, pay-no mind lists, elitism with some, insulted and spoken to like a child, pussies who won't be accountable 4 selves

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'GMAN2887'
    GMAN2887:

    Speak for yourself. You paper tigers. You'll crash where you stand. You've got a riot on your hands.

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'johnbrownsboots'
    johnbrownsboots:

    Tea partiers = paper tigers

  • Default avatar for Twitter user 'zwitscherhorst'
    zwitscherhorst:

    All reactionaries are paper tigers.