as in to form
to take on a definite form
this group of summer interns is shaping up to be one of the best we've ever hired
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to improve
to change one's behavior or character for the better
told his son that if he didn't shape up, he'd be grounded for a month
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shape (up)
Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 15 June 2026
And 2026 is shaping up to be no different.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 15 June 2026
That’s especially possible during a strong El Niño event, as this one is shaping up to be.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
As Connecticut residents spend more time outdoors this summer, officials said this year is shaping up to be historically bad for ticks, as climate change and human development have created the perfect habitat.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shape (up)
Verb
Strawberry milk nails are shaping up to be one of summer’s biggest manicure trends.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 15 June 2026
And 2026 is shaping up to be no different.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 15 June 2026
That’s especially possible during a strong El Niño event, as this one is shaping up to be.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
As Connecticut residents spend more time outdoors this summer, officials said this year is shaping up to be historically bad for ticks, as climate change and human development have created the perfect habitat.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shape (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shape (up)
Verb
-
Your 11th House of Friends tilts against routines as the instinctive Moon forms a quincunx to passionate Mars in your 6th House of Work.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2026
-
In Darwin’s day, of course, the processes by which gametes are formed and then fused had yet to be discovered.—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Verb
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How airlines and airports can do better Maglione and Riccobono both said that training and implementing new technology can go a long way toward improving the flying experience for blind travelers.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
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The Sparks improved to 7-0 in games when the four-time All-Star has six-plus assists (Plum had seven), and the team posted a season-high 28 assists.—
Joaquin Ruiz,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Verb
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Dose, absorption and your own physiology all change how phytic acid behaves in the body.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
-
Scientists note that larger oral doses may behave differently, and more research is needed to understand how phytic acid affects mineral availability at the tissue level.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The town moved to amend its zoning regulations to allow for greater flexibility for those who want to convert older office properties into residential or mixed-use redevelopments, with Greenberg a vocal proponent of the changes.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
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The buyer—identified in the document as Sunrise North LLC—gets an irrevocable power of attorney authorizing it to pursue claims in the athlete’s name, settle claims, amend claim forms and take other actions related to recovery.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Good job, well done After 21 years of working to better the village’s economic picture, Sandra Zoellner, Park Forest’s director of economic development and planning, was the center of attention in a farewell tribute last Friday in Village Hall.—
Jerry Shnay,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
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Overall, Hungary scored 25 goals in their four matches en route to the final, with Kocsis’ 11 for the tournament only bettered by France’s Just Fontaine’s 13 in 1958.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
In its letter, the LAPPL said after a thorough review of communications between the city there was nothing specific on reforming police oversight, police discipline or any other matter about the LAPD.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
18 June 2026
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The most noticeable change in Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh’s oversight of the central bank, compared to his predecessor, Jerome Powell, is his determination to reform the institution.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shape (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shape%20%28up%29. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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