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
Dou’s finely detailed account of the 2018 detention of Ren’s daughter Meng Wanzhou in Canada, and the evidentiary paper trail supporting accusations of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud, is particularly vivid.
—
Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The mayor is also accused of creating and having aides create fake paper trails and of deleting messages with others involved in his misconduct.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
But as independent journalist Jamie Dupree and others pointed out, someone went into the government database and changed the documents with no comment on the error — simply erasing the paper trail.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
The prosecutors who withdrew from the case late Friday had alleged in the case that Adams took pains to cover up his crimes and directed others to, as well, including by creating fake paper trails.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paper trail
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.
Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The mayor is also accused of creating and having aides create fake paper trails and of deleting messages with others involved in his misconduct.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
But as independent journalist Jamie Dupree and others pointed out, someone went into the government database and changed the documents with no comment on the error — simply erasing the paper trail.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
The prosecutors who withdrew from the case late Friday had alleged in the case that Adams took pains to cover up his crimes and directed others to, as well, including by creating fake paper trails.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paper trail
Cite this Entry
“Paper trail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paper%20trail. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share