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paperwork
/ ˈ±è±ðɪ±èəˌ·Éɜ˰ì /
noun
- clerical work, such as the completion of forms or the writing of reports or letters
51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins
Origin of paperwork1
Example Sentences
A state law to combat racial profiling required better data tracking, which meant deputies had more paperwork to do every time they pulled over someone, officials said.
"We have the paperwork saying this is what each person's been awarded, but the claim system is not set up for us to draw down the money effectively."
But the city is “sitting on the paperwork†and has yet to move forward, Soboroff said.
“There is a blanket of secrecy over the paperwork that flows to the CPUC, that never gets to the public domain,†he said.
The security guard looked at her paperwork and said her appointment was for a phone call and someone from the agency was scheduled to call her.
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Related 51³Ô¹Ïs
More About Paperwork
What doesÌýpaperwork 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.
Where doesÌýpaperwork come from?
The word paperwork has been used since the late 1500s (to refer to things like literary works), but the first records of it being used to refer to the work of filling out documents and such come from the 1860s. Other words are formed using the word work in a similar way, such as yardwork and drudgework (which a lot of people might use as a synonym for paperwork).
Everyone hates paperwork. It takes a lot of time and it’s tedious. But most people have to do it, at least once in a while. A lot of the time, paperwork is part of your job (especially the administrative part of your job that doesn’t have much to do with getting your actual job done). But there are a lot of other situations in which you have to fill out paperwork: job applications, tax forms, registration papers.
More of these processes are becoming paperless—meaning they’re done without using actual paper—but that doesn’t mean the paperwork is going away. People still often refer to such tasks as paperwork.
Did you know ... ?
What are some synonyms for paperwork?
- filing
- administrative work
What are some words that share a root or word element with paperwork?Ìý
- paper
- work
- drudgework
- busywork
- yardwork
- paperback
What are some words that often get used in discussing paperwork?
Ìý
How isÌýpaperwork used in real life?
Life has a lot of paperwork, and the word is used in all kinds of contexts that involve a lot of forms, especially legal documents. When people discuss paperwork, it’s often to complain about there being too much.
Ariana Grande is turning her ongoing "Sweetener" tour into a voter-registration drive, partnering with the nonprofit org. HeadCount to get concertgoers to complete the paperwork that makes them eligible to cast ballots in the 2020 presidential race.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1)
There is absolutely no reason I should have to fill out 3 pages of FMLA paperwork so a parent can stay home with a new baby.
They had a baby. Literally all you need to know. And you don't need me to sign it.
— Chad Hayes, MD 😷 (@chadhayesmd)
Being a human involves too much paperwork.
— the Real Clem Shady (@cpsemple)
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Try usingÌýpaperwork!
Which of the following words is MOST likely to be used to describe paperwork?
A. interesting
B. fun
C. tedious
D. enjoyable
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