packing

noun

pack·ing | \ ˈpa-kiŋ

Definition of packing

1a : the action or process of packing something also : a method of packing

b : the processing of food and especially meat for future sale

2 : material (such as a covering or stuffing) used to protect packed goods (as for shipping) also : material used for making airtight or watertight packing for a faucet

3 US politics : a form of gerrymandering in which election districts are drawn in such a way that voters likely to support the opposing party are concentrated into a single district to limit the influence of their votes in other districts … it calculates the impact of the two mechanisms that create gerrymandering. The first of these is "packing," which means one side's votes have been overconcentrated so they win by huge margins in a small number of districts (creating a surplus of votes).— G. Terry Madonna and Michael Young — compare cracking sense 2

Examples of packing in a Sentence

We finished all our packing yesterday. I used some old newspapers for packing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Have trouble making a packing list and sticking to it? — Nicole Saporita, Good Housekeeping, "14 Genius Packing Tips to Help You Travel Like a Pro," 9 Apr. 2019 Jenner is soon headed to Europe for the rest of Fashion Month, and has a mental packing list ready. — Alex Frank, Vogue, "Kendall Jenner On Loving Ugly Sneakers, Hating Boho Style, and the Fashion Secrets She Learned From Her Mom," 13 Feb. 2019 Typical equipment for a special-ops team, but not exactly on the packing list for a migrant. — Dan Crenshaw, WSJ, "The Silly Arguments Against a Border Wall," 10 Jan. 2019 It also can be used for drainage and pushing product into the skin, and comes with a travel bag for easy packing. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "6 Celebrity Facialists Share Their Favorite Airplane Beauty Staples," 17 Nov. 2018 Neither apologizes for packing in more, skinnier seats. — Scott Mccartney, WSJ, "When Airline CEOs Try the Cheap Seats," 24 July 2018 A week at a ski resort, a quick beach trip, or a stay in one of the country's most bustling cities all call for a particular type of packing list. — Nicola Fumo, Town & Country, "What to Pack for Every Type of Holiday Trip," 21 Dec. 2018 Meat packing is one industry that has attracted Pacific Islanders to its workforce, Aitaoto said. — Chris Fuchs /, NBC News, "U.S.'s Pacific Islander community is growing fast, but advocates worry the census won't count them," 29 May 2018 Our dedicated team of butlers undergoes specific training to assist guests with their packing and unpacking. — Jessica Flint, WSJ, "The Seattle Hotel Playbook," 3 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'packing.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.