paper thin
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paper thin
Hyphenated if used before a noun.
1. Literally, having a thickness comparable to paper; exceptionally thin. This knife is so sharp that it can cut vegetables into paper-thin slices. The top layer is paper thin, so be careful not to tear it.
2. By extension, quite meager, inadequate, or feeble. John is always offering some paper-thin excuse as to why he's late. The promises the new president made in her campaign were exceptional, but so far her results have been paper thin.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.