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
And so there’s paper trails that can be cobbled together to make that case, but there are lots of people also doing that and taking advantage of that.
—
Joel Feder, The Drive, 19 Mar. 2026
What was the paper trail in the decision making process?
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 18 Mar. 2026
Ross regularly got money orders for his rent and life insurance payments at that post office, which helped him and authorities follow a paper trail after the robbery.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Southern Glazer’s executives brought in third-party vendors as intermediaries to conceal their scheme and avoid a paper trail between suppliers and buyers.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paper trail
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Joel Feder, The Drive, 19 Mar. 2026
What was the paper trail in the decision making process?
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 18 Mar. 2026
Ross regularly got money orders for his rent and life insurance payments at that post office, which helped him and authorities follow a paper trail after the robbery.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Southern Glazer’s executives brought in third-party vendors as intermediaries to conceal their scheme and avoid a paper trail between suppliers and buyers.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paper trail
Cite this Entry
“Paper trail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paper%20trail. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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