gerrymander
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
IPA: /ˈdʒɛrɪˌmændər/
KK: /ˈdʒɛrɪˌmændər/
noun
Definition
A way of drawing political district boundaries to give one party an advantage over others, often resulting in districts that are oddly shaped or unequal in population.
Example
The gerrymander in our state has led to unfair election results.
Conversation
Did you hear about the recent changes in our voting districts?
Yeah, it's crazy how they used gerrymander to shape everything.
I know, right? It feels so unfair to those who actually live there.
Absolutely, it really impacts the way elections turn out.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
manipulation
redistricting
configuration
Antonyms
fairness
equity
uniformity
transitive verb
Definition
To divide a region into voting districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage during elections.
Example
The party tried to gerrymander the district lines to secure more votes.
Tense Forms
Past: gerrymandered
Past Participle: gerrymandered
Conversation
Did you hear about how they gerrymander the voting districts in our state?
Yeah, it's pretty frustrating how they manipulate things like that.
I can't believe they would gerrymander to favor one party over another.
Root Explanation
Gerrymander is derived from the name of Elbridge Gerry, an American politician, combined with "mander" from "salamander" (referring to the shape of a district). The term describes the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a particular political party.
Memory Tip
Think of Elbridge Gerry's name being linked to the unusual shape of a district, like a 'salamander', which helps you remember that 'gerrymander' means to manipulate district boundaries for political advantage.
Visually Confused Words
germander