paperwork
PAY-p-wk
Paperwork (noun) means Routine administrative work involving forms, records, and other documents. Example: “Filing all this paperwork takes longer than the actual job.”
noun
1
Routine administrative work involving forms, records, and other documents.
"Filing all this paperwork takes longer than the actual job."
"She stayed late finishing the insurance paperwork."
"Moving house involves a surprising amount of paperwork."
How to use paperwork
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe forms and written records that go along with a job or process — often used to mean tedious admin.
Common pairings
do the paperwork
pile of paperwork
buried in paperwork
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Word forms
- Plural
- paperworks
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Filing all this _____ takes longer than the actual job.
Etymology
From paper + work.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for paperwork
See all rhymes for paperwork →Frequently asked questions
What does “paperwork” mean?
The word “paperwork” means routine administrative work involving forms, records, and other documents. In plain terms, the forms and written records that go along with a job or process — often used to mean tedious admin.
How do you pronounce “paperwork”?
“Paperwork” is pronounced PAY-p-wk (/ˈpeɪ.pɚˌwɝk/ in IPA).
How do you use “paperwork” in a sentence?
Here is “paperwork” used in a sentence: “Filing all this paperwork takes longer than the actual job.”
What is another word for “paperwork”?
Words with a similar meaning to “paperwork” include administrativia and administrivia.
What part of speech is “paperwork”?
“Paperwork” is a noun.
Is “paperwork” a common word?
“Paperwork” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between paperwork and bureaucracy?
Paperwork refers to the actual forms, records, and documents that need completing, while bureaucracy refers to the wider system of rules and officials that requires them. Paperwork is the task; bureaucracy is the structure that generates it.
What is a common collocation with paperwork?
Paperwork is frequently paired with verbs like "do," "fill out," "file," "process," and "catch up on," as in "catch up on paperwork" or "process the paperwork." It also combines with adjectives such as "mountain of" or "backlog of" to describe a large volume of pending documents.
Is paperwork countable or uncountable?
Paperwork is an uncountable noun, so it does not take a plural form and is not used with "a" or numbers. You would say "a lot of paperwork" or "some paperwork," not "a paperwork" or "paperworks."
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