paperwork

American  

[pey-per-wurk] / ˈpeɪ pərˌwɜrk /

noun

1. written or clerical work, as records or reports, forming a necessary but often a routine and secondary part of some work or job.

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paperwork British  

/ ˈpeɪpəˌwɜːk /

noun

1. clerical work, such as the completion of forms or the writing of reports or letters

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Usage

What does paperwork mean? Paperwork is the task of filling out forms, especially when they’re literally on paper. More generally, paperwork refers to routine clerical and administrative work like recordkeeping and processing documents (regardless of whether they’re on paper). Paperwork can be done as part of one’s job (the boring part), or in any setting that involves filling out forms, such as buying a house or a car or applying for a job. Doing so is often referred to as filling out (the) paperwork, doing (the) paperwork, or completing (the) paperwork. Paperwork is a collective noun, meaning it appears in a singular form but refers to such tasks as a group. Example: Applying for a job with the government required her to fill out an incredible amount of paperwork about her family history, education, and travel activity.

Etymology

Origin of paperwork

First recorded in 1580–90; paper + work

Explanation

Any task you do that involves many pieces of paper (like paying bills or filling out forms) is called paperwork. Some jobs feel like they're nothing but paperwork. If your teacher does paperwork while your class takes an exam, he might grade papers, fill out applications for grant money, or organize the many sheets of paper he's accumulated over the semester. When paperwork was coined in the sixteenth century, it meant "things made of paper." By the late 1800s, it came to mean "work done on paper." Paperwork is less common today, as work is increasingly done electronically — it may be time for a new word!

Example Sentences

Much of SpaceX’s remaining long-term debt is tied to obligations related to “certain AI infrastructure assets recorded as failed sale-leaseback transactions,” the company said in its IPO paperwork.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026

And schools that delay submitting transfer paperwork until the last minute thinking investigators will be too busy to spot an error don’t understand the process.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2026

The state has contracted with Recidiviz to improve its current “clunky” system so that its staff can focus more on re-entry and public safety and less on paperwork that can be automated, Dismukes says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

Other experts said that people may be pushed off the program because of increased paperwork requirements to remain eligible.

From Salon • Jun. 18, 2026

“How charming. And I presume you have paperwork for all these”—he scrunched up his face like he’d just swallowed a slightly turned piece of fruit—“children.”

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• filing