walking papers

plural noun

: dismissal, discharge

called also walking ticket

Examples of walking papers in a Sentence

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.
Jay Norvell was given his walking papers last Sunday. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025 But why, then, have 150,000 tech workers been given their walking papers since the start of this year? — Alan Murray, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2023 Alas, the midseason replacement only lasted for 13 episodes before the network gave the show its walking papers. — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026 After three fruitless seasons, Jonathan Gannon received his walking papers and now the Cardinals will give another first-year coach a try. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for walking papers

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of walking papers was in 1825

Rhymes for walking papers

See All Rhymes for walking papers

Browse Nearby Words

walking on air
walking papers
walking part
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Walking papers.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/walking%20papers. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All