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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shaped (up)
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
The change in plans shaped up to be a huge hit.
—
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Throw in an attempt to help part of Illinois secede and join the Hoosier state and visits from everyone from Tucker Carlson to JD Vance, and 2025 has shaped up to be quite a barn burner.
—
Hayleigh Colombo,
IndyStar,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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
The change in plans shaped up to be a huge hit.
—
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Throw in an attempt to help part of Illinois secede and join the Hoosier state and visits from everyone from Tucker Carlson to JD Vance, and 2025 has shaped up to be quite a barn burner.
—
Hayleigh Colombo,
IndyStar,
24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaped (up)
Verb
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In Darwin’s day, of course, the processes by which gametes are formed and then fused had yet to be discovered.
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Think450 was formed in 2017 to service NBA players’ group licensing and marketing rights.
Verb
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The technology for delivery coordination improved.
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Accuracy, design, and comfort have improved with each generation.
Verb
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The proposal unveiled Friday calls for the five-year-old agreement to be amended to ensure that those contingency funds can be used to cover the city’s costs in the event that other revenue is not enough to pay for certain city services provided during the Games.
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After Young amended the curriculum to remove one definition of slavery for third-graders for redundancy, Clark accused some board members of whitewashing history.
Verb
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Once the cooling is done, the research team will evaluate how the fuel materials behaved under prolonged irradiation.
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Provenance explains what was allowed to occur, under what conditions and whether the system behaved as expected.
Cite this Entry
“Shaped (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaped%20%28up%29. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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