shaped (up) 1 of 2

past tense of shape (up)
as in formed
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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shaped up

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of shape up
as in straightened (up or out)
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shaped (up)
Verb
Stacey Barchenger Warren Petersen and Rodney Glassman crisscrossed the state for more than a year courting Republican voters in what shaped up to be a bruising primary election race. Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2026 In Texas, a heated and expensive race has shaped up between Democrat James Talarico, a state representative who is facing Republican Ken Paxton, the state attorney general. Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 The home has shaped up since then. Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar, Architectural Digest, 4 June 2026 Like so many Bay Area voters, Wagner opted to hold his vote and watch how the close race for governor shaped up — particularly on the Democratic side, where a throng of candidates competed fiercely for voters and resisted the calls of party leaders to drop out. Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 2 June 2026 The battle shaped up with 2,800 Americans facing 8,000 Hessians (mercenary soldiers from six German territories in the Holy Roman Empire. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026 Carl Wilson held a lead Tuesday night in the special election for a City Council seat on Manhattan’s West Side against Lindsey Boylan, in what has shaped up as a proxy battle in the ongoing power struggle between Mayor Mamdani and Council Speaker Julie Menin. Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026 After the cold open, however, the episode shaped up to be a solid one. Charu Sinha, Vulture, 15 Mar. 2026 Saturday’s matchup shaped up to be another back-and-forth affair. Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaped (up)
Verb
  • Much of that video content features Iris Kendall, whom Palma met on Love Island USA season 7 and formed a bond before his exit that led to a real-world romance.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026
  • City staff estimated the district — an enhanced infrastructure financing district, or EIFD — may be formed by early 2027.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026
Verb
  • Math scores in Fort Worth ISD and across Tarrant County have not improved as much as reading scores in recent years.
    Samuel O’Neal July 31, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
  • Estrogen-containing therapies are linked to not only decreased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality among younger patients, but also to improved quality of life.
    Versha Pleasant, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • Papik also said fishing policies are being amended that would allow native species to reclaim some of their number, like growing mollusks that are less susceptible to the alien blue crab.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • Lofton texted that the returns needed to be amended and referred questions to Brookins.
    Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • Waiting for VivaTech Paris to open its doors while my MacBook quietly behaved like a private intelligence agency.
    Edward Morris, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • In 2024 hundreds of community scientists participated in Hartstone-Rose’s research project, making note of how animals around them behaved during the solar eclipse—from pets to farm animals to wild creatures.
    Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shaped (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaped%20%28up%29. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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