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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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of shaped (up)
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
If Joe Burrow were playing, this could have shaped up to be a barnburner a la December along the Ohio River.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
The race had shaped up as one of the best of the 35 runnings of the Pacific Classic after Repole and Pletcher decided to ship Fierceness out from New York and lead owner Aron Wellman and trainer McCarthy opted to keep Journalism in California.
—Kevin Modesti, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
If Joe Burrow were playing, this could have shaped up to be a barnburner a la December along the Ohio River.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
The race had shaped up as one of the best of the 35 runnings of the Pacific Classic after Repole and Pletcher decided to ship Fierceness out from New York and lead owner Aron Wellman and trainer McCarthy opted to keep Journalism in California.
—Kevin Modesti, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shaped (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaped%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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