paperwork

noun

pa·​per·​work ˈpā-pər-ˌwərk How to pronounce paperwork (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Uhlfelder vehemently disagreed, writing back that Kitchen and Mattox had been listed on all the court paperwork. Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026 Instagram stories as evidence Police reviewed social media content from Innocent’s Instagram account and found several stories posted the day after the assaults, according to his arrest paperwork. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025 While doing my research, I was shocked by the high fees the agencies charged to process the necessary paperwork. IEEE Spectrum, 30 Dec. 2025 Similarly, Legrand Lindor, CEO of LMI Textiles, told CAP his medical supply company went from spending zero time on tariff paperwork to spending four to five hours per transaction. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for paperwork

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paperwork was in 1899

Cite this Entry

“Paperwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paperwork. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

paperwork

noun
pa·​per·​work -ˌwərk How to pronounce paperwork (audio)
: routine office or record-keeping work

More from Merriam-Webster on paperwork

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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