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

The demise of the Mercedes and the investigations that followed generated reams of paperwork, which now told Dooley the rest of the story. —Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026

Tax relief firms typically help with tasks like reviewing IRS notices, gathering financial paperwork and communicating with the IRS on a taxpayer’s behalf. —Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026

Back in jail — waiting for her release paperwork. —Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026

Managing the logistics of displacement is further complicated by endless paperwork, insurance claims, Federal Emergency Management Agency forms and the exhaustion of grief. —Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 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
• artwork
• beadwork

Kids Definition

paperwork

noun

pa·​per·​work -ˌwərk 

: routine office or record-keeping work