shape-up

1 of 2

noun

: a system of hiring workers and especially longshoremen by the day or shift by having applicants gather for each day's selection
also : an instance of such hiring practice

shape up

2 of 2

verb

shaped up; shaping up; shapes up

intransitive verb

: to improve to a good or acceptable condition or standard of behavior
shaping up at the gym

transitive verb

: to bring to a good or acceptable condition or standard of behavior

Examples of shape-up in a Sentence

Verb told his son that if he didn't shape up, he'd be grounded for a month this group of summer interns is shaping up to be one of the best we've ever hired
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut Is there anything more powerful than a fresh shape-up? A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, Parents, 7 Dec. 2023
Verb
Sunday’s trophy match shapes up as a developmental contest ahead of this summer’s Olympics in France. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 For the president’s election-year speech — his third, which comes in the final year of his first term — the moment will serve as a kickoff for his re-election effort, which is shaping up to be another match-up between him and his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 California wildflowers are shaping up to be spectacular. USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 But 2024 is already shaping up to be quite the collision course. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Kennedy, an environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist, is widely seen as unlikely to win this year’s presidential race, which is shaping up to pit former President Donald Trump against President Joe Biden. Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 But this winter, which is shaping up to be the warmest on record for much of the upper Midwest, there's little ice to be found. Journal Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2024 The exchange has also proposed that companies that don’t shape up could be delisted by 2026. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 23 Feb. 2024 As a result, Lynch will challenge Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship at what is shaping up to be one the biggest WrestleManias in history. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shape-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1940, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1920, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of shape-up was circa 1920

Dictionary Entries Near shape-up

Cite this Entry

“Shape-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shape-up. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shape up

verb
(ˈ)shā-ˈpəp
: to improve to a good condition or standard
shape up and start studying
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