Paper Tiger
Noun · Slang & Abbreviations
Definitions
Something that looks powerful, strict, or intimidating but proves weak when tested. In engineering slang, paper tigers appear in security theater, empty policy, and systems whose confidence exceeds their actual resilience.
In plain English: Something that looks strong or intimidating but is weaker than it appears.
Example: "The compliance checklist was a paper tiger, impressive in presentation and useless the moment the incident required real operational clarity."