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 scrolling to explore the 14 Quince travel essentials that deserve a spot on your packing list.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
The system is designed to handle complex, flexible warehouse tasks such as picking, box handling, packing, and inspection—areas that have traditionally relied on human labor.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Currently, the food bank has two interns who attend the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder and started off working in the packing area of the food bank’s new Aurora facility before moving into the kitchen, Knight said.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
By Meaghan Kenny May 29, 2025 Our Guide to a Summer Capsule Wardrobe
No matter where you're headed, build your packing list around these essentials.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for packing
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Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
The system is designed to handle complex, flexible warehouse tasks such as picking, box handling, packing, and inspection—areas that have traditionally relied on human labor.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Currently, the food bank has two interns who attend the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder and started off working in the packing area of the food bank’s new Aurora facility before moving into the kitchen, Knight said.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
By Meaghan Kenny May 29, 2025 Our Guide to a Summer Capsule Wardrobe
No matter where you're headed, build your packing list around these essentials.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for packing
Cite this Entry
“Packing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/packing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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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