often attributive
1
a
: a bundle arranged for convenience in carrying especially on the back
b
: a group or pile of related objects
2
a
: the contents of a bundle
b
: a large amount or number : heap
a pack of lies
c
: a full set of playing cards
3
a
: an act or instance of packing
b
: a method of packing
4
a
: a set of persons with a common interest : clique
b
: an organized unit (as of Cub Scouts)
5
a(1)
: a group of domesticated animals trained to hunt or run together
(2)
: a group of often predatory animals of the same kind
a wolf pack
(3)
: a large group of individuals massed together (as in a race)
b
6
: a concentrated or compacted mass (as of snow or ice)
7
: absorbent material (such as gauze pads) used to apply medicine or moisture or to press upon a body part or plug an opening (as to stop bleeding) see ice pack sense 2
8
a
: a cosmetic paste for the face
b
: an application or treatment of oils or creams for conditioning the scalp and hair
9
: material used in packing
packed; packing; packs
1
a
: to make into a compact bundle
b
: to fill completely
fans packed the stadium
c
: to fill with packing
pack a joint in a pipe
d
: to load with a pack
pack a mule
e
: to put in a protective container
goods packed for shipment
2
a
: to crowd together
b
: to increase the density of : compress
3
a
: to cause or command to go without ceremony
packed him off to school
b
: to bring to an end : give up
—used with up or in
might pack up the assignment
—used especially in the phrase pack it in
4
: to gather into tight formation : make a pack of (animals, such as hounds)
5
: to cover or surround with a pack
6
a
: to transport on foot or on the back of an animal
pack a canoe overland
b
: to wear or carry as equipment
pack a gun
c
: to be supplied or equipped with : possess
a storm packing hurricane winds
d
: to make or be capable of making (an impact)
a book that packs a man-sized punch—
C. J. Rolo
C. J. Rolo1
2
a
: to stow goods and equipment for transportation
b
: to be suitable for packing
a knit dress packs well
3
a
: to assemble in a group : congregate
b
: to crowd together
4
: to become built up or compacted in a layer or mass
the ore packed into a stony mass
5
a
: to carry goods or equipment
b
: to travel with one's baggage (as by horse)
packed; packing; packs
1
: to influence the composition of so as to bring about a desired result
pack a jury
"… packing a court, increasing the number of justices so you can get a desired outcome. … "—Andy Biggs
see also court-packing, pack the court
Andy Biggs2
archaic
: to arrange (the cards in a pack) so as to cheat
Synonyms
Examples of pack in a Sentence
Noun
He took a map and a bottle of water out of his pack.
hikers carrying heavy packs up a mountain
They loaded the packs onto the horses.
The entire pack of crayons spilled on the floor.
Cigarettes typically come in packs of 20.
You'll receive your informational pack upon arrival.
Recent Examples on the WebJim Robbins, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
As previously reported, Sarah Aarons leads the pack heading into 2024 APRAs, with Troye Sivan, Budjerah, Ainslie Wills, Styalz Fuego, Amy Shark, The Kid LAROI, James Johnston and MAY-A close behind.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2024
Former 5km world record-holder Robert Keter, also of Kenya, then appears to wave at He to overtake the pack while signaling for his compatriot and Ethiopia’s Dejene Hailu to hang back.
—Andrew McNicol, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
The range of services differentiates his company from the pack.
—Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
Some companies that ship frozen meals (such as Daily Harvest or Splendid Spoon) use dry ice instead of gel packs.
—PCMAG, 10 Apr. 2024
Hypoallergenic and free of harmful chemicals, this mattress pad is available in packs of one, two, or three.
—Kelsey Kunik, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024
This pivotal development marks a significant milestone in the industrialization of high-tension battery packs designed specifically for Vision Marine's innovative electric boating solutions.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Buy Now on Neiman Marcus: $9,950 Photo : Nili Lotan
Nili Lotan Trenton Trench Coat
With a warm honey hue Nili Lotan’s melodiously named Trenton trench subtly stands out from the rest of the pack.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 28 Apr. 2024
Rose hips are packed with vitamin C and can be used in cocktails or dried to create a refreshing tea.
—Claire Harmeyer, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2024
The area is packed with taprooms, cideries, and distilleries — most of which are located in repurposed warehouses.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024
These highly concentrated gins pack big alcohol and big flavor.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 26 Apr. 2024
Superintendents, financial officers and other school leaders packed a State Board of Education meeting to address multiple concerns about how the Arizona Department of Education is managing federal poverty funds.
—Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024
By the end of the episode, Edwin and Charles, along with Crystal and Jenny (Briana Cuoco), whose butcher business went up in flames at the hands of Esther, head back to London and find the Night Nurse (Ruth Connell) on their doorstep finally ready to send them packing to the afterlife.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024
The campus was packed with hundreds of people who supported the encampment, forming a picket line on all sides of the lawn; when the police broke through, the supporters erupted in chants and jeers.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2024
Parents packed a town hall meeting in February, demanding school officials and the city of Fort Worth to kill the project citing concerns about human trafficking, drug dealing and prostitution.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2024
Joseph Wolkin, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021
Velociraptors were pack animals, that much is clear.
—Robin George Andrews, Discover Magazine, 14 June 2015
The service said that anyone who needs to be outside should dress in layers, cover as much of their skin as possible and pack winter safety kits in their vehicles.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 26 Dec. 2022
The multi-pack set includes two small, two medium, and one large cube.
—Annie Burdick, Peoplemag, 12 Aug. 2022
Fans go wild for Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding — so much so that popular bakery chain had released a pudding multi-pack, available to ship coast to coast.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Aug. 2022
Pricing starts at $54,795 for an LS model, although our favorite is the mid-pack RST trim, which can be fitted with the diesel engine as well as four-wheel drive.
—Nicholas Wallace, Car and Driver, 29 Mar. 2022
The result is more pack-style racing, with the drafting in practice looking eerily similar to restrictor-plate traffic jams at Daytona or Talladega.
—Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 20 Mar. 2022
Flatlock seams mean no irritation under pack shoulder straps.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 30 July 2020
Noun
Wolf packs, in other words, are not magic bullets for restoring ecosystems.
—Jim Robbins, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
As previously reported, Sarah Aarons leads the pack heading into 2024 APRAs, with Troye Sivan, Budjerah, Ainslie Wills, Styalz Fuego, Amy Shark, The Kid LAROI, James Johnston and MAY-A close behind.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2024
Former 5km world record-holder Robert Keter, also of Kenya, then appears to wave at He to overtake the pack while signaling for his compatriot and Ethiopia’s Dejene Hailu to hang back.
—Andrew McNicol, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
The range of services differentiates his company from the pack.
—Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
Some companies that ship frozen meals (such as Daily Harvest or Splendid Spoon) use dry ice instead of gel packs.
—PCMAG, 10 Apr. 2024
Hypoallergenic and free of harmful chemicals, this mattress pad is available in packs of one, two, or three.
—Kelsey Kunik, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024
This pivotal development marks a significant milestone in the industrialization of high-tension battery packs designed specifically for Vision Marine's innovative electric boating solutions.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
Buy Now on Neiman Marcus: $9,950 Photo : Nili Lotan
Nili Lotan Trenton Trench Coat
With a warm honey hue Nili Lotan’s melodiously named Trenton trench subtly stands out from the rest of the pack.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
Verb
The group, whose views on Israel are not generally supported by most of the synagogues in metro Detroit, started at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, marched to the federal building and later marched around parts of downtown Detroit, which was packed with visitors for NFL draft events.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 28 Apr. 2024
Rose hips are packed with vitamin C and can be used in cocktails or dried to create a refreshing tea.
—Claire Harmeyer, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2024
The area is packed with taprooms, cideries, and distilleries — most of which are located in repurposed warehouses.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024
These highly concentrated gins pack big alcohol and big flavor.
—Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 26 Apr. 2024
Superintendents, financial officers and other school leaders packed a State Board of Education meeting to address multiple concerns about how the Arizona Department of Education is managing federal poverty funds.
—Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024
By the end of the episode, Edwin and Charles, along with Crystal and Jenny (Briana Cuoco), whose butcher business went up in flames at the hands of Esther, head back to London and find the Night Nurse (Ruth Connell) on their doorstep finally ready to send them packing to the afterlife.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024
The campus was packed with hundreds of people who supported the encampment, forming a picket line on all sides of the lawn; when the police broke through, the supporters erupted in chants and jeers.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2024
Parents packed a town hall meeting in February, demanding school officials and the city of Fort Worth to kill the project citing concerns about human trafficking, drug dealing and prostitution.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2024
Adjective
BJ McLeod Motorsports became a staple in Nascar’s version of Triple-A, and it’s seen as a place where drivers can earn their first major shot to compete in mid-pack equipment.
—Joseph Wolkin, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021
Velociraptors were pack animals, that much is clear.
—Robin George Andrews, Discover Magazine, 14 June 2015
The service said that anyone who needs to be outside should dress in layers, cover as much of their skin as possible and pack winter safety kits in their vehicles.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 26 Dec. 2022
The multi-pack set includes two small, two medium, and one large cube.
—Annie Burdick, Peoplemag, 12 Aug. 2022
Fans go wild for Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding — so much so that popular bakery chain had released a pudding multi-pack, available to ship coast to coast.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Aug. 2022
Pricing starts at $54,795 for an LS model, although our favorite is the mid-pack RST trim, which can be fitted with the diesel engine as well as four-wheel drive.
—Nicholas Wallace, Car and Driver, 29 Mar. 2022
The result is more pack-style racing, with the drafting in practice looking eerily similar to restrictor-plate traffic jams at Daytona or Talladega.
—Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 20 Mar. 2022
Flatlock seams mean no irritation under pack shoulder straps.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 30 July 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pack
Cite this Entry
“Pack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pack. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pack
1 of 3 noun1
a
: a bundle arranged for carrying especially on the back of a person or animal
b
: a group of items packaged as a unit
a pack of cards
c
d
: a stack of magnetic disks in a container for use as a storage device
2
: the contents of a pack
3
a
: a group of similar persons or animals
a pack of thieves
a wolf pack
b
: an organized troop (as of Cub Scouts)
4
: a tight mass or group
especially
: a mass of ice chunks floating on the sea
5
: absorbent material (as gauze pads) used medically (as to apply medicine or moisture or to press upon a bodily part to stop bleeding) compare ice pack sense 2
pack
2 of 3 verb1
a
: to place articles in (as for transportation or storage)
pack a suitcase
b
: to cover or fill so as to prevent passage (as of air or water)
pack the joint of a pipe
c
: to place closely and securely in a container or bundle
pack goods
2
a
: to crowd in
people packed the hall
b
: to form into a pack
ice is packing in the gorge
3
: to send or go away without delay
pack a child off to school
4
: to transport on foot or on the back of an animal
pack water from a spring
5
: carry entry 1 sense 6
pack a gun
6
: to be supplied with : possess
a storm packing hurricane winds
pack
3 of 3 verb
: to choose or bring together dishonestly so as to be assured of a favorable vote
pack a jury
Etymology
Noun
Middle English pack "a bundle for carrying on the back"; of Germanic origin
Verb
from obsolete pack "to make a secret agreement"
Medical Definition
pack
1 of 2 noun1
: a container shielded with lead or mercury for holding radium in large quantities especially for therapeutic application
2
b
: a folded square or compress of gauze or other absorbent material used especially to maintain a clear field in surgery, to plug cavities, to check bleeding by compression, or to apply medication
pack
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to cover or surround with a pack
packed it away from the operative field with gauze packs—R. P. Parsons
R. P. Parsons
specifically
: to envelop (a patient) in a wet or dry sheet or blanket
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