paper trail

noun

: documents (such as financial records) from which a person's actions may be traced or opinions learned

Examples of paper trail in a Sentence

They covered up the fraud and were careful not to leave a paper trail.

Recent Examples on the Web

State law, and Hope Florida’s own rules, say grants and other giveaways conducted under the auspices of state government should be subject to selection criteria and paper trails. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026

That was true, of course, before Torre’s revelations; if Aspiration hadn’t gone bankrupt, there might not have been the start of a public paper trail, and the Clippers might have gotten away with the whole scheme. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026

From Mexico, Morales García could do little more than wait while his attorneys tried to reconstruct the paper trail of his life. — María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

Parents, districts, and state inspectors all expect a paper trail. — Malana Vantyler, Ascend Agency, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paper trail

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• fingernail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• swallowtail
• wensleydale

Kids Definition

paper trail

noun

: documents (as financial records or published materials) from which a person's actions may be traced or opinions learned