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.
Minneola Mayor Pam Serviss confirmed Yeager did not present the paperwork necessary to qualify for the election and will not be eligible to keep his seat this election cycle. — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026 Mexico’s new strategy represents an escalation from the country’s traditional policy of filing protests through diplomatic channels while assisting families with legal advice, paperwork and shipping remains back to Mexico. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Speaking to Game Developer, Panic co-founder Cabel Sasser said filing paperwork to claw back these taxes and processing tariff refunds for customers took a fair bit of backend work. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026 Police did not give an update on the baby's condition in court paperwork filed on Tuesday. — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 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

Rhymes for paperwork

See All Rhymes for paperwork

Browse Nearby Words

paper-white narcissus
paperwork
paperworker
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Cite this Entry

“Paperwork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paperwork. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

paperwork

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