gerrymandering
noun
ger·ry·man·der·ing
ˈjer-ē-ˌman-d(ə-)riŋ 
also ˈger-;
originally ˈger-
: 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
Carl HiaasenBipartisan 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
Peter BeinartExamples of gerrymandering in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After decades of gerrymandering and political polarization, a vast majority of members of Congress and state legislatures did not face competitive general elections last year.
—Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Bad enough on their own, these distortions are amplified by a fragmented media landscape, gerrymandering, and widespread efforts by state legislatures to impose voter restrictions.
—Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Opponents of Issue 1 say current rules work to prevent gerrymandering.
—Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
Black voters must demand that candidates commit to passing comprehensive voting rights legislation that includes provisions to prevent gerrymandering, restore federal oversight of elections in states with histories of discrimination, and expand access to early and mail-in voting.
—Lenwood V. Long, Sr., Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
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Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Bad enough on their own, these distortions are amplified by a fragmented media landscape, gerrymandering, and widespread efforts by state legislatures to impose voter restrictions.
—Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Opponents of Issue 1 say current rules work to prevent gerrymandering.
—Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 31 Oct. 2024
Black voters must demand that candidates commit to passing comprehensive voting rights legislation that includes provisions to prevent gerrymandering, restore federal oversight of elections in states with histories of discrimination, and expand access to early and mail-in voting.
—Lenwood V. Long, Sr., Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gerrymandering
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Cite this Entry
“Gerrymandering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gerrymandering. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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