take shape

phrase

: to assume a definite or distinctive form : to develop and become apparent or established

The plan is finally taking shape.

Edison's tireless work habits took shape during his childhood …

—Paul Gray

The proto-planetary fragments crashed together, coalesced by gravity, and crashed again into other fragments, until they gradually took shape as the planets we know today.

—M. Mitchell Waldrop

… the first half of the century, before the modern medical system took shape.

—Geoffrey Cowley

Examples of take shape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An entirely new district is taking shape just north of West Seventh Street with the Westside Village development breaking ground in February. — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026

The doc also offers rare glimpses of new lands, areas, and experiences taking shape across Disney properties. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 July 2026

Fans wailed outside St James’ and Keegan stood on the steps to placate them, but then Les Ferdinand arrived and another Hollywood-upon-Tyne took shape. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 July 2026

And as November approaches, more contours of the Democratic platform on what to do about it are taking shape, staking out a position that borrows from both the left and the right. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 21 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take shape

• cityscape
• agape
• escape
• landscape
• lenape
• reshape
• seascape
• soundscape
• ape
• cape
• crape
• crepe