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
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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
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Recent Examples of shape (up)
Andrew Webster, The Verge, 8 Apr. 2026
Some members of the GOP attribute the state of the race to the fact that Republicans are running in a bad midterm environment that’s shaping up to feel a lot like the 2018 midterms.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 4 Apr. 2026
The fund has seen pushback from hospital groups over an issue that's shaping up as important for 2026 voters.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
The race is shaping up as a high-profile test of whether Democrats can regain a footing in Florida, where the party has not won a Senate seat since 2012 and where Republicans hold a voter registration advantage.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shape (up)
Verb
But the fact that this is shaping up to be another excellent entry for the series is not really a surprise.
—Andrew Webster, The Verge, 8 Apr. 2026
Some members of the GOP attribute the state of the race to the fact that Republicans are running in a bad midterm environment that’s shaping up to feel a lot like the 2018 midterms.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 4 Apr. 2026
The fund has seen pushback from hospital groups over an issue that's shaping up as important for 2026 voters.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
The race is shaping up as a high-profile test of whether Democrats can regain a footing in Florida, where the party has not won a Senate seat since 2012 and where Republicans hold a voter registration advantage.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shape (up)
Cite this Entry
“Shape (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shape%20%28up%29. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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