paper trail

noun

: documents (such as financial records) from which a person's actions may be traced or opinions learned

Examples of paper trail in a Sentence

They covered up the fraud and were careful not to leave a paper trail.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Many in the public were distrustful of the touch-screen devices, which didn’t produce a paper trail allowing people to know for sure if their votes were being recorded as intended. Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 1 Oct. 2024 Take this paper trail: Chelsea bring in Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal, rendering Kepa Arrizabalaga more redundant than ever, and facilitating Djordje Petrovic’s switch to Strasbourg today. Phil Hay, The Athletic, 29 Aug. 2024 This will involve clear evidence, such as a paper trail, to illustrate the roles played. Peter Rutzler, The Athletic, 14 Aug. 2024 More importantly, developers will also inevitably leave a paper trail of credentials, application programming interface tokens and passkeys embedded in their code, which can remain exposed for years, even after deletion. Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for paper trail 

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paper trail was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near paper trail

Cite this Entry

“Paper trail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paper%20trail. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

paper trail

noun
: documents (as financial records or published materials) from which a person's actions may be traced or opinions learned
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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