paperwork

[pey-per-wurk]

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.

paperwork

/ ˈpeɪpəˌwɜːk /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of paperwork¹

First recorded in 1580–90; paper + work

Example Sentences

Oftentimes, estate attorneys will wait one year to account for paperwork and due process.

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Last week, ETF issuer Volatility Shares filed paperwork to launch 27 highly leveraged ETFs, including what would be the first 5x funds in the U.S.

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The Orange Lutheran student will be ineligible only until next season because the transfer did not submit fraudulent paperwork.

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She sent over her paperwork and received a comprehensive, multipage report to submit as her third appeal.

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They feel unnecessary paperwork has resulted in delays such as waiting three months for wheelchair repairs, and a two-year battle to get a shower chair.

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Related Words

• filing www.thesaurus.com

When To Use

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.