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
Yet the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment also says states can't draw maps based on racial gerrymandering.
—Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 24 Mar. 2025
In fact, if not for extreme gerrymandering by Democrats in New York, California, Illinois, and elsewhere, Republicans would have picked up roughly two-dozen more seats in 2024, rather than losing a net one.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
But this time really should be different; democracy in Illinois is badly undermined by such egregious gerrymandering.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Democrats and Republicans alike have used this practice, called gerrymandering, and ended up in lengthy court battles as people fight the maps.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2024
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Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 24 Mar. 2025
In fact, if not for extreme gerrymandering by Democrats in New York, California, Illinois, and elsewhere, Republicans would have picked up roughly two-dozen more seats in 2024, rather than losing a net one.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
But this time really should be different; democracy in Illinois is badly undermined by such egregious gerrymandering.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Democrats and Republicans alike have used this practice, called gerrymandering, and ended up in lengthy court battles as people fight the maps.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gerrymandering
Cite this Entry
“Gerrymandering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gerrymandering. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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