pack
verb
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)
—usually used in the phrases pack a punch and pack a wallop
These hot peppers really pack a punch.
… compelling and suspenseful, with a shocking twist that packs a wallop.—
Andrew Abrahams
Andrew Abrahams1
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)
Examples of pack in a Sentence
carefully pack the food containers so we'll have as much as possible for the picnic
I had packed the suitcase so tightly that it wouldn't close
remember to pack several changes of clothing
a private detective packing a weapon
Recent Examples on the Web
There's an awful lot of this nation's history packed into one three-block area in Philadelphia.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026
Sri Lanka, off the southeastern coast of India, packs lush tea plantations, ancient Buddhist ruins, biodiversity and pristine beaches into one of the most affordable trips on this list — though its popularity is rising fast.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Cars packed with mattresses, luggage and household belongings stretched for kilometers along Lebanon’s coastal highway, as residents fled Tyre following the latest Israeli warning.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
The robot now packs programmable actuators into a palm-sized platform, delivering dynamic mobility in a robot compact enough to roam across a desktop.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pack
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026
Sri Lanka, off the southeastern coast of India, packs lush tea plantations, ancient Buddhist ruins, biodiversity and pristine beaches into one of the most affordable trips on this list — though its popularity is rising fast.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Cars packed with mattresses, luggage and household belongings stretched for kilometers along Lebanon’s coastal highway, as residents fled Tyre following the latest Israeli warning.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
The robot now packs programmable actuators into a palm-sized platform, delivering dynamic mobility in a robot compact enough to roam across a desktop.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pack
Cite this Entry
“Pack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pack. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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
Middle English pack "a bundle for carrying on the back"; of Germanic origin
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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