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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
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
Advertisement The paper trail of Upton’s incarceration describes her as distraught and combative on arrival at the Robert
The Cois M. Byrd Detention Center, also referred to as the Southwest Detention Center, in Murrieta.
—Christopher Damien, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Both systems provide a paper trail for all ballots cast.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
The alleged gunman arrested at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, has a lengthy paper trail of pro-Ukraine advocacy, according to several news reports Monday.
—Jamie Joseph, Fox News, 16 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1935, in the meaning defined above
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 22 Nov. 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
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