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
Keeping track of the massive paper trail involved in criminal records can be daunting.
—
Jason Henry, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Seeing a doctor right away is important, both for your recovery and your paper trail.
—K.h. Koehler, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2026
But for the companies that paid the tariffs, at least, there is a paper trail.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Certain gold transactions will leave a paper trail with the IRS, whether investors realize it or not.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paper trail
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Jason Henry, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Seeing a doctor right away is important, both for your recovery and your paper trail.
—K.h. Koehler, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2026
But for the companies that paid the tariffs, at least, there is a paper trail.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Certain gold transactions will leave a paper trail with the IRS, whether investors realize it or not.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Feb. 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 5 Mar. 2026.
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