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
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaping
Verb
-
By adjusting the magnetic field’s strength, the robot’s flight path may be accurately controlled.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2025 -
By adjusting the rate of pellet injections and corresponding laser pulses per second, Marvel’s fusion power plant can adjust the overall energy output to market demand, according to details provided by the company.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
For new investors in their early 20s or 30s who have never experienced a market correction or for someone planning on retiring soon, experiencing a market correction can be very unsettling.—
Earl Carr,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
-
The administration is planning a much broader reduction of its workforce.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The people who succeed in adapting to new challenges aren’t the ones who never fail—they’re the ones who don’t let failure stop them.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
-
This vulnerability reinforces why organizations must evolve beyond fraud awareness and, in partnership with their financial institutions, adopt prevention strategies, practices and technologies that can keep pace with the constantly adapting threat.—
David Culbertson,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The Special artist is also preparing to take on her first lead movie role as she was recently cast as gospel star Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who was one of the first to appeal to rock ‘n’ roll and R&B audiences, in Amazon MGM Studios’ Rosetta.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2025
-
As the case was preparing to go to trial, in May 2004, the parties settled.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Ohio State has made a point of putting its playmakers in advantageous positions and getting them the ball after being stuck in a rut against the Wolverines.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
The Athletic,
3 Jan. 2025
-
The sell-off in the stock has happened gradually as multiple macroeconomic factors appear to be putting the brakes on the big rally in aluminum prices seen through Covid-19.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Many probationary employees in the Science Mission Directorate, expecting not to come back the following week, spent Valentine’s Day and the weekend organizing their work and sending it to others, unprompted.—
David W. Brown,
The New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Energy Transfer, the operator of the Dakota Access Pipeline, accused Greenpeace USA and International of playing a central role in organizing the resistance to the pipeline at Standing Rock in 2016 and 2017.—
Simmone Shah,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
When done correctly, the result should increasingly feel like working 1-1 with an instructor, but without the inconvenience of conforming to the instructor's schedule or competing for time and attention with other students.—
Ray Ravaglia,
Forbes,
16 Dec. 2024
-
When faced with differences, individuals are likely to respond in one of three ways—by conforming and agreeing with the other person, seeking their validation or distancing themselves altogether.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
In the book, Stewart shares advice on topics such as growing produce and arranging flowers.—
Claire Murashima,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2025
-
Before the repeal, Soto was arranging for free Spanish-language weddings in Little Havana and building up support for Dade County to retire its English-only policy.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Shaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaping. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share