1
a
: 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
G. Terry Madonna and Michael YoungExamples of packing in a Sentence
We finished all our packing yesterday.
I used some old newspapers for packing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Keep reading for more Quince packing essentials from $40.
—Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Time your packing – Box up belongings while your pup is on a walk or napping.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Choosing a carry-on that’s large enough to accommodate your packing needs is crucial; without it, your attempts at saving space will likely fall flat.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
The set, which even comes in plastic-free packing, is dishwasher safe and odor-resistant, too.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for packing
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Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Time your packing – Box up belongings while your pup is on a walk or napping.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Choosing a carry-on that’s large enough to accommodate your packing needs is crucial; without it, your attempts at saving space will likely fall flat.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
The set, which even comes in plastic-free packing, is dishwasher safe and odor-resistant, too.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for packing
Cite this Entry
“Packing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/packing. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
packing
noun
pack·ing
ˈpak-iŋ 
1
: the therapeutic application of a pack
hemorrhage … could not be controlled by suture or packing—The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association2
: the material used in packing
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