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
This impressive deal only applies to the six-piece set, which includes five compression packing cubes and one drawstring bag in select colors.
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 30 Sep. 2025
A little planning, some versatile pieces, and a set of trusty packing cubes can transform your next getaway.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2025
That means creative packing, while also keeping things as lightweight as possible to stay mobile.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Saitex’s laundry dry processing and finishing, packing, and warehousing facilities are scheduled for solar installations in 2025.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for packing
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Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 30 Sep. 2025
A little planning, some versatile pieces, and a set of trusty packing cubes can transform your next getaway.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2025
That means creative packing, while also keeping things as lightweight as possible to stay mobile.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Saitex’s laundry dry processing and finishing, packing, and warehousing facilities are scheduled for solar installations in 2025.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 26 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 4 Oct. 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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