gerrymandering

noun

ger·​ry·​man·​der·​ing ˈjer-ē-ˌman-d(ə-)riŋ 

also ˈger-;

originally ˈger-

: the practice of dividing or arranging a territorial unit into election districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage in elections

To an untrained eye, the proposed boundaries look like the etchings of a mapmaker on heavy pharmaceuticals. In reality, it's a masterpiece of diabolical gerrymandering.

—Carl Hiaasen

Bipartisan gerrymandering following the 2000 reapportionment produced hundreds of safe Democratic seats, hundreds of safe Republican seats, and not much else.

—Peter Beinart

compare cracking, packing

Examples of gerrymandering in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But House Speaker Dan Hawkins was unable to sway a small group of Republican representatives who refused to sign on to the gerrymandering effort. —Matthew Kelly may 24, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026

In the most general terms, those measures include restrictions on political spending, federal action to prevent partisan gerrymandering, and an expansion of the House of Representatives. —Danielle Allen, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026

The move sparked pushback from Democrats, who swiftly launched their own gerrymandering efforts in states such as California. —Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 19 May 2026

So the Commonwealth was left out of partisan gerrymandering disputes. —Kristin Kanthak, The Conversation, 18 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

gerrymander entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gerrymandering

• meandering
• philandering
• pandering
• slandering