death by a thousand paper cuts

English

Alternative forms

• death by a thousand papercuts

Etymology

Blend of death by a thousand cuts +‎ paper cut. The "thousand cuts" of the original phrase are now inflicted by paper, a metonym for bureaucracy.

Noun

death by a thousand paper cuts

1. (idiomatic) An ultimate negative outcome, such as the failure of a project, brought about by an excessive number of bureaucratic hurdles.

See also

• the straw that broke the camel's back