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

The 9th District has become more favorable to the Democratic incumbent looking to hold onto his seat after last year’s gerrymandering effort. —William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 15 Feb. 2026

The primary challenge of the 2025 gerrymandering was a lack of transparency and the prioritization of partisan gain over fair representation. —Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026

But the court also agreed to hear arguments about whether the Democratic mid-decade gerrymandering push is legal, regardless of whether voters approve the referendum. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026

The County figured out another way to defend itself against the claim of racial gerrymandering. —Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 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