1
as in health
a state of being or fitness
she was in good shape after having worked outdoors all summer long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in form
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance
that part of the state is known as the panhandle because of its shape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to adapt
to change (something) so as to make it suitable for a new use or situation
a dress shaped to the customer's particular figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plan
to work out the details of (something) in advance
over the winter the committee shaped the company's new marketing strategy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shape
Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Feb. 2026
Then came the trend for new stadia, which tend to be designed in a bowl shape.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Melony Forcier, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
Decisions made after August 2024 — shaped by years of public input and careful planning — were subsequently declared invalid.
—Haley Busch, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shape
Noun
The shape of your bagels are actually beautiful.
—Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Feb. 2026
Then came the trend for new stadia, which tend to be designed in a bowl shape.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Designed specifically for those under 5-foot-4, these jeans are shaping and offer all-day support.
—Melony Forcier, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
Decisions made after August 2024 — shaped by years of public input and careful planning — were subsequently declared invalid.
—Haley Busch, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shape
Noun
-
Ige said Chicago has been working hard to reverse that trend, reiterating messages to the community that patients’ personal health information will not be shared.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
According to experts, house burping can bring benefits to your health, comfort, and indoor hygiene.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The first item is already down on paper in the form of Team Netherlands’ World Baseball Classic roster.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The notices would also need to have a simple, easy-to-find protest form.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Like Hill, many other girls were criticized for their weight and advised to restrict their eating to better approximate a model’s physique; thus, eating disorders were common among contestants, says Bre Scullark, who appeared in Cycle 5, in the documentary.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
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While athletes in some sports, like figure skating and ski jumping, tend to benefit from a slimmer physique, Mandelbaum says that using a medication like a GLP-1 may not offer all the perks someone would expect.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Until now, most research on these early Mesozoic sea monsters — the first tetrapods to adapt to marine life — has focused on the Northern Hemisphere.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
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Crumbl has adapted to rising labor costs by bypassing cashiers with technology that allows customers to order and pay for their dessert on their own.—
Paul Lopez,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The team now plans to develop more advanced models, including organoids that simulate chronic spinal cord injuries with long-standing scar tissue.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
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Earlier this week, the UN Refugee agency said a significant number of residents had left Al-Hol camp, the other major detention camp in Syria, and that the Syrian government plans to relocate them.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Prosecutors say the defendant failed to take into account his girlfriend’s inexperience in mountain climbing as well as the harsh winter conditions.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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The crews have not yet been able to remove the victims from the mountain because of the extreme conditions, the sheriff said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The engineers at the company believe that teams should be able to adjust the frame's flex at the structural level rather than by making adjustments to the geometry or adding suspension tricks.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Feb. 2026
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Valleys, transitions and high-water-flow zones — where the geometry of the roof concentrates runoff — can process much more water than other areas of the roof.—
Mike McGilvary,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In extra innings, teams without challenges remaining will receive one per frame.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
22 Feb. 2026
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The 6-foot-10 forward scored seven points in the second frame alone to have 11 by the half.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shape. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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