paperwork

noun

pa·​per·​work ˈpā-pər-ˌwərk 

: routine clerical or recordkeeping work often incidental to a more important task

Examples of paperwork in a Sentence

She failed to file the paperwork on time.

The lawyer had us fill in the paperwork for the mortgage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Prosecutors accuse Lui of concealing the servers’ final destination through third-country shipments and false paperwork. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026

Experiences with school choice scholarships in other states have shown barriers to using the programs go beyond paperwork hurdles. — Bianca Vázquez Toness, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

There, Calderon was given a lot of paperwork and unknowingly signed a voluntary departure document, according to Sublet. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Even vulnerable Montanans who didn't need to file paperwork, because their coverage should have been automatically renewed, were dropped from the Medicaid rolls, including people who were homeless. — Aaron Bolton, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paperwork

• bodywork
• handiwork
• ironwork
• latticework
• masterwork
• metalwork
• needlework
• openwork
• overwork
• subnetwork
• telework
• artwork

Kids Definition

paperwork

noun

pa·​per·​work -ˌwərk 

: routine office or record-keeping work