gerrymandering

1 of 2

noun

ger·​ry·​man·​der·​ing ˈjer-ē-ˌman-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce gerrymandering (audio)
also ˈger-;
originally ˈger-
Synonyms of gerrymanderingnext
: the practice of dividing or arranging a territorial unit into election districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage in elections
To an untrained eye, the proposed boundaries look like the etchings of a mapmaker on heavy pharmaceuticals. In reality, it's a masterpiece of diabolical gerrymandering.Carl Hiaasen
Bipartisan gerrymandering following the 2000 reapportionment produced hundreds of safe Democratic seats, hundreds of safe Republican seats, and not much else.Peter Beinart
compare cracking, packing entry 1

gerrymandering

2 of 2

present participle of gerrymander entry 2

Examples of gerrymandering in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Belknap also points to other existential challenges to American self-governance, such as the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and the rush toward partisan gerrymandering that seeks to cement one-party control in different states. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2026 Polling consistently shows Marylanders oppose partisan gerrymandering, with recent surveys finding as many as 80% of respondents viewing the deliberate redrawing of district lines to favor one party as a major problem for American democracy. Yuripzy Morgan, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026 Only 10% of United States congressional seats are now considered competitive due to political gerrymandering, which with the primary system, has institutionalized polarization by entrenching partisan power and elevating extreme viewpoints. David Neil, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026 While demographics and gerrymandering make many North Carolina House and Senate races non-events, a handful of races in the Charlotte area are expected to be close. Mary Ramsey august 12, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gerrymandering

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gerrymandering was in 1812

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Cite this Entry

“Gerrymandering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gerrymandering. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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