administrative tasks

Meanings

1. 1nounusually plural

   The routine jobs needed to keep an office or organization running, such as filing, scheduling, record keeping and handling correspondence.

   Grammar: Usually plural: she handles administrative tasks; one such job is an administrative task.

   Patterns

   • handle administrative tasks
   • spend time on administrative tasks

   Teachers often spend hours on administrative tasks instead of planning lessons.

   He hired an assistant to take care of administrative tasks.

   Filing, booking rooms and answering calls are typical administrative tasks.

2. 2nounusually plural

   Duties connected with organizing and managing paperwork or systems rather than doing the core professional work of a job.

   Grammar: Often contrasted with core duties: apart from her clinical work, she has administrative tasks.

   Patterns

   • reduce administrative tasks
   • delegate administrative tasks

   The nurses wanted fewer administrative tasks so they could spend more time with patients.

   Software now automates many administrative tasks.

Word forms

Common combinations

handle administrative tasks

The receptionist handles administrative tasks for the clinic.

routine administrative tasks

Routine administrative tasks fill most of my morning.

delegate administrative tasks

Managers should delegate administrative tasks where possible.

automate administrative tasks

The new system automates administrative tasks.

time-consuming administrative tasks

Time-consuming administrative tasks slowed the project.

Synonyms and how they differ

paperwork

Paperwork is informal and focuses on forms and documents, while administrative tasks includes scheduling and organizing too.

clerical work

Clerical work suggests basic office duties such as filing and typing, whereas administrative tasks may also involve coordinating people.

housekeeping

Housekeeping is a figurative office word for routine upkeep, while administrative tasks is more formal.

office duties

Office duties covers any work done in an office, not only routine management jobs.

Opposites

Word family

administer verb

to manage or give out

administration noun

the management of an organization or the people who run it

administrator noun

a person who manages an organization or system

administratively adverb

in a way connected with management

Commonly confused: administrative tasks or admin?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “administrative tasks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words