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

Example Sentences

The eviction paperwork, reviewed by The Times, was filed Dec. 29 and cited $59,100 in unpaid rent for 2025.

From Los Angeles Times

That year she hired an immigration attorney who submitted paperwork to let her stay in the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

Residents on the east side have spent the year in their own grueling hunts for available rentals and paperwork battles.

From The Wall Street Journal

When freight changes hands from one rail company to another, there’s paperwork, coordination, and crew transitions that prolong shipping times by hours or days, costing customers money.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, the misconduct panel found he had issued the paperwork to her husband and then lied when updating an official police database - claiming to have spoken directly to Mrs Gather.

From BBC

Related Words

• filing