rubber stamp

noun, adj, verb — 4 senses

rubber stamp

noun
1

Literally A piece of rubber or similar material with a design or text carved or molded for the purpose of transferring ink or dye to imprint that design on another object.

  • The library had a rubber stamp to imprint the due date.
2

Figuratively A person or organization that approves, routinely or as a formality, matters decided by some other person or organization.

  • During the Roman principate, the senate largely served as a rubber stamp for the emperor.

rubber stamp

adj
1

Figuratively Of a person, organization, or process, making decisions or approving matters routinely or without real power.

  • rubber stamp politics
  • rubber stamp parliament
2 more examples
  • rubber stamp legislature
  • rubber stamp diet
Derived terms
rubber stamp politics

rubber stamp

verb
1

Figuratively To process, approve or decide matters routinely rather than through careful consideration.

  • They usually just rubber stamp orders under $100.
Related terms
pencil whip

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.