Meanings
- In writing, particularly handwritten or printed as opposed to digital.
During the final exam, students are allowed to bring their computer science notes that are on paper.
- figurativelyBased on debatable inference; in theory; by appearances only.
On paper they're perfect for each other, but it's been six months and their relationship is already on the rocks.
4 more examples
From those of the former generation who were in the fulness of age when I came into public life, which was while our controversy with England was on paper only, I soon saw that nothing was to be hoped.
August 25, 1814, Thomas Jefferson, letter to Edward ColesHutchinson, the current champion at 50 miles, is on paper the fastest rider in the field for Sunday's event
June 06, 2002, Graham Snowdon, The TelegraphAllen Gregory DeLongpre: Hey, just throwing out a random hypothetical to you. Let's say there's a new kid in school, and on paper he should be killing it, but for some reason the other kids don't like him? Why do you think that would be?
2011 Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1)Before 1914, coal was a true cash-cow, and on paper, the GWR looked to have hit the jackpot by being handed all the railways in the South Wales coal fields.
2021 August 25, Richard Foster, “The rise and fall of railway's Big Four...”, in RAIL, number 938, page 55 - figurativelyOfficially; de jure.
- slangOf a convicted criminal: on parole.
This means you can vote even if you are in jail or prison, or “on paper” (on probation, parole or extended supervision) for a misdemeanor.
2024, ACLU Wisconsin, VOTING RIGHTS FOR PERSONS WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbas written or printed
adverbin theory; according to the assumed facts
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Catalan sobre paper
- sobre paperin theory
Dutch op papier
- op papierin theory
Finnish teoriassa, paperilla
- teoriassain theory
- paperillain theory
French sur le papier
- sur le papierin theory
Hungarian papíron
- papíronin theory
Norwegian Bokmål på papiret
- på papiretin theory
Polish na papierze
- na papierzein theory
Romanian pe hârtie
- pe hârtiein theory
Russian на бумаге
- на бумаге (na bumage)in theory
Spanish sobre el papel
- sobre el papelin theory
Turkish kağıt üstünde
- kağıt üstündein theory
Cite this entry
on paper. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20paper
“on paper.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20paper. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on paper,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20paper.
Source: on paper on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.