death by a thousand paper cuts

Questions

What does death by a thousand paper cuts mean?

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

Where does death by a thousand paper cuts come from?

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.

How to pronounce death by a thousand paper cuts

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “death by a thousand paper cuts”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “death by a thousand paper cuts”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “death by a thousand paper cuts” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.