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

For small business owners, the paperwork to sign up is minimal and administering this program is as easy as adding another line to payroll deduction. —Rhett Buttle, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

At the time, the former zookeeper was worried about the couple's chances for the chaplain, warden and the captain to approve their paperwork. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2025

Elsewhere in the filing, Abrego Garcia’s attorneys said the Trump administration cited a number of privileges to bar releasing information but did not file the paperwork to formally assert them. —Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025

Interconnection queues for all energy systems, but particularly solar, wind, and batteries, typically last three years or more as project developers produce reliability studies and cope with mounting regulatory paperwork delays. —Umair Irfan, Vox, 21 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paperwork

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

Kids Definition

paperwork

noun

pa·​per·​work -ˌwərk 

: routine office or record-keeping work