1
as in ending
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the auto company is downsizing and will be packing up operations at the local plant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abandoning
to stop doing (something) permanently
after two years of college, he decided to pack in that academic stuff and join the army
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for packing (up or in)
Verb
-
Slated to be the Lions’ top reserve cornerback this season, Rakestraw was placed on season-ending IR in August.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025 -
Air traffic controllers played a key role in ending the last government shutdown, which stretched on for 35 days, from December 2018 to January 2019.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Miller, a child star from Toronto, was feeling the vertigo of abandoning show business.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In theory, pediatricians abandoning vaccines would help their businesses.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Right Now Reducing and eventually stopping sugar cravings can take time.—
Jamie Johnson,
Verywell Health,
10 Oct. 2025
-
His dad raced, and Vinson followed in his father’s footsteps beginning at age 14 before eventually stopping to focus on his career as an educator, first as a teacher and coach, then eventually an administrator, principal and now a superintendent.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Some are discontinuing various product lines, and others are cutting workers or closing altogether.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Carlson asked the state’s environmental agency about the protocol for discontinuing treatment and was told to keep the state posted.—
Anna Clark,
ProPublica,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The site must be decommissioned within 60 years of the plant ceasing operations.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The university also asks the court to order online marketplaces, payment processors and other companies that do business with the defendants from disabling and ceasing to provide services.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Str | Afp | Getty Images Japan’s Komeito political party is reportedly quitting the country’s ruling coalition led by the Liberal Democratic Party, a move that could derail Sanae Takaichi’s path to becoming the country’s first female prime minister.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Russell—toying with the idea of quitting acting for good—jumped coasts.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Carrie Ann Inaba offered constructive feedback, urging him to relax and avoid halting his movements mid-routine.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
-
We’re introduced to counterterrorism team leader Kobi (Israel Atias) doing undercover security work at the Nova Festival, mostly halting the spread of party drugs.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a recent interview with the BBC World Service, Machado voiced support for the international coalition’s efforts in the Caribbean, framing them as essential to cutting off illicit revenue to the Maduro regime.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Across town, the Elk River could surround CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital, cutting off all exits.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Packing (up or in).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/packing%20%28up%20or%20in%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share