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
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Recent Examples of shaping
But the group, particularly his and Tina's roles in shaping their look, sound, and legacy, still seems to be a sensitive subject for Mathew.
—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
And that's a very efficient way to approach shaping biscuits because there are no offcuts and there's no wastage.
—Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Mar. 2026
Was there a surprise, an outlier, or a particular race that’s shaping your thinking about this political moment going forward?
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
The Texas attorney general serves a four-year term and plays a central role in shaping the state's legal strategy, including representing Texas in court, issuing legal opinions and leading major lawsuits involving state policy.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
Benny Boom is an incredible visionary, shaping stories that feel immediate, layered, and unforgettable.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
Mercuriadis credits music with shaping his political awareness.
—Lily Moayeri, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
Curators, writers, actors and directors met several times a week to zero in on each piece, shaping it beat-by-beat while searching for its emotional pulse.
—Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
As one of the purveyors at the heart of the K-wave sweeping the world, the IP powerhouse celebrated the visionaries shaping Korea’s cultural impact by hosting the 2026 Visionary Awards at the CJ ENM Center in Seoul.
—Partner Content, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026
And that's a very efficient way to approach shaping biscuits because there are no offcuts and there's no wastage.
—Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Mar. 2026
Was there a surprise, an outlier, or a particular race that’s shaping your thinking about this political moment going forward?
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
The Texas attorney general serves a four-year term and plays a central role in shaping the state's legal strategy, including representing Texas in court, issuing legal opinions and leading major lawsuits involving state policy.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
Benny Boom is an incredible visionary, shaping stories that feel immediate, layered, and unforgettable.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
Mercuriadis credits music with shaping his political awareness.
—Lily Moayeri, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
Curators, writers, actors and directors met several times a week to zero in on each piece, shaping it beat-by-beat while searching for its emotional pulse.
—Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
As one of the purveyors at the heart of the K-wave sweeping the world, the IP powerhouse celebrated the visionaries shaping Korea’s cultural impact by hosting the 2026 Visionary Awards at the CJ ENM Center in Seoul.
—Partner Content, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaping
Verb
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Focusing on 8 cups of water may prevent you from listening to your body and adjusting for outside factors.—
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois,
Health,
3 Mar. 2026
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Monitoring the app closely can improve your odds of snagging better seats or adjusting travel plans quickly when disruptions occur.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While gardeners often gravitate toward evergreen foliage when planning for year-round color, there are many other sources of beauty to enhance the garden from one season to the next.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
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Mia is planning a hopeful birthday party for Alex and Dailyn has her ideas about what that should and should not be.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In adapting its output to platforms like TikTok and Instagram (whose vice president of fashion, Eva Chen, is in some ways as powerful as Vogue’s Anna Wintour), the industry has cultivated multiple generations of fashion savvy observers eager to weigh in on brands’ every move.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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Part of Waymo’s challenge, beyond snow in winter, is adapting to urban responses to extreme weather that vary across the country, Waymo’s Karp said.—
Bruce Finley,
Denver Post,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After a flight failure in March 2025, the German firm, Isar Aerospace, is preparing for its second Spectrum launch, currently scheduled for no earlier than March 19, 2026, from Andøya, Norway.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The program is preparing students to work at such cyber-centric institutions as Naval Information Warfare Systems Command and Booz Allen Hamilton.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Large language models are extraordinarily good at inferring context clues—in this case, the user’s name, professional background, and likely objections—and tailoring output accordingly.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 Mar. 2026
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The company operates dedicated teams by channel, tailoring assortments and price points across wholesale, department stores, specialty and direct-to-consumer, Polanco said.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That means the public officials designing the dredging project have a stark choice to make, scientists say.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
After designing Bessette-Kennedy’s dress, Rodriguez launched his own label and a fragrance line, and has continued to create designs that are woven into the fabric of American history — Michelle Obama wore his dress on election night in 2008.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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SpaceX has actually recently floated the idea of a data center in our planet's orbit, which would involve putting something like a million more satellites up there.—
Monisha Ravisetti,
Space.com,
5 Mar. 2026
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Then in December, one of the town’s largest employers, Roseburg Forest Products, shut down its veneer mill, putting 140 employees out of work.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Drucilla Ramirez, a third grade bilingual teacher and organizing chair for the union, said some classes have as many as 34 students and teachers don’t have aides in the classroom.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
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The most common uses reported were answering etiquette questions, managing timelines and to-dos, writing wedding website copy, and organizing budgets.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaping. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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