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

According to arrest paperwork, Stout was the boyfriend of the child's mother. —Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

Beyond basic monitoring, full identity theft services can help with recovery, paperwork and financial reimbursement if fraud occurs. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026

The Commercial Appeal will publish profiles on all the candidates who have filed formal paperwork and have been responsive to requests for interviews about their background, campaign platform and major issues in the race. —Brooke Muckerman, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 20 Jan. 2026

Curia Global filed paperwork on Friday with the state under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) to shut down the facility, scheduling a permanent closure for March 10. —Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 20 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