packaging

noun

1
: an act or instance of packaging something or someone: such as
a
: the enclosing of something in a container or covering
… damage caused by static charge during packaging, storing, and shipping.Chemical & Engineering News
b
: the presentation of something or someone to the public in a way that is designed to be attractive or appealing
This is public relations: the packaging of ideas, the execution of them, and the media coverage surrounding them.Robert Z. Chew
2
: material used to enclose or contain something
… the flashy packaging popularized by mass merchants.Jan Stafford
also : a covering wrapper or container : package entry 1 sense 3
the manufacture of food packagings

Examples of packaging in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The world’s largest packaging manufacturer has formally listed for sale the 400-acre mill property, in addition to another 335 acres across the Savannah River on its north bank. Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 30 July 2026 Dua Lipa sued Samsung for $15 million for including her easily recognizable face on packaging for TV screens without her permission. Schuyler Moore, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026 Strengthening domestic chipmaking Bill Frauenhofer, Executive Director for Semiconductor Innovation and Investment at the Department of Commerce, said the project could help remove long-standing bottlenecks in advanced packaging. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026 Today, they are sold in colorfully catchy packaging in forms of powder, tablets, liquid shots, gummies, and even vapes. David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for packaging

Word History

Etymology

from gerund of package entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of packaging was circa 1875

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Packaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/packaging. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on packaging

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster