shaping

verb

present participle of shape
1
as in adjusting
to change (something) so as to make it suitable for a new use or situation a dress shaped to the customer's particular figure

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in planning
to work out the details of (something) in advance over the winter the committee shaped the company's new marketing strategy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 shaping But now politics and policy are shaping the way capital is flowing in the world. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026 With Election Day approaching, voters in Delaware County said a range of issues is shaping their decisions, from the economy and inflation to border security and crime. — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 Chinese painter and filmmaker Qiu Jiongjiong began shaping his new film during the pandemic. — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 1 Nov. 2026 The plaintiffs accused McDonald’s of intentionally shaping McRib patties with ridges to resemble pork ribs and make diners believe the sandwich contains rib meat, an expensive cut known for its higher fat content and rich flavor. — Reuters, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2026 That personal touch is also shaping the company’s approach to digital. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026 The Miami Herald has fact-checked where the candidates stand on nine key issues shaping the campaigns. — Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026 In agriculture, those market forces are already shaping the industry’s future. — Jeff Tkach, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 Here are the top four trends shaping the holiday season, according to Michaels. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 26 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaping
  1. adjusting
  2. planning
  3. adapting
  4. preparing
  5. tailoring
  6. designing
  7. putting
  8. organizing
Verb
  • Trading on Wednesday stateside showed investors adjusting to midterm results, which showed Democrats flipping control of the House of Representatives and Senate — securing comfortable majorities in both chambers — and a slew of governorships, too.
    — Lee Ying Shan,Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
  • If the material needs adjusting, that can happen during this process, speeding up adoption, Parente said.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of adjusting
Verb
  • Morales is planning to turn himself in at a courthouse sometime on Monday, David Lindenmuth, his attorney, told The Associated Press.
    — Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
  • One of the country’s leading sodium-ion battery developers, Hina Battery, is planning a 10 GWh production base in Wuhan and has partnered with a vehicle manufacturer to develop electric sanitation trucks.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of planning
Verb
  • Both use the same glide body, allowing the services to share a major weapon component while adapting the broader missile systems to their respective land- and sea-based launch platforms.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Pope was nominated for an Academy Award for adapting Philomena, starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of adapting
Verb
  • The group previously proved a special case of the conjecture in August 2026 and is preparing a shorter exposition of PSI’s full proof for other experts.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The additional accessories and benefits are intended to provide extra value beyond the cleaner itself, particularly for homeowners preparing their pools for the swimming season.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of preparing
Verb
  • That might mean tailoring the way the company tells its story or responds to a client’s questions.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Changing course so close to the early-decision deadline can be difficult for applicants who have spent months tailoring their applications to a specific Cornell school, a distinctive part of the university's application process, according to Beaton.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of tailoring
Verb
  • The researchers said their strategy could help pave the way for designing longer-lasting aqueous energy storage systems.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • As well as designing his own makeup, Stone also created the grisly post-op prosthetics worn by the other models.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of designing
Verb
  • Matthieu Blazy did the same thing in reverse at Chanel, putting a pink lace shirt under a great slouchy tweed coat.
    — Laurence Goldberg, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Yoko said her daughter simply tried to prevent an agitated resident from biting others by putting her hand around the person’s chin.
    — Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of putting
Verb
  • For the fourth event, however, No Kings sought to get more than 9 million people into the streets, and then directly to the polls, by organizing an early voting event on October 17.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The software assists operators in identifying objects that could represent mine threats and organizing the information needed to make operational decisions.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of organizing

Browse Nearby Words

shape up
shaping
shaping (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Shaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaping. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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