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
  • By independently adjusting the signals, the team could examine how each component responded.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Ziaire Williams is adjusting to how the NBA is calling flopping this season.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 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
  • Rising Academies created an AI tool called Rori that generates math and other lessons for students on WhatsApp, adapting the difficulty level based on their responses.
    — Zoë Schiffer, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Experts generally attribute the union’s decline since the 1970s to a combination of leadership decisions, demographic shifts toward a more undocumented workforce and growers adapting to UFW’s organizing tactics.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of adapting
Verb
  • By preparing for prolonged power disruptions, securing essential supplies, diversifying production and strengthening communications, the United States is seeking to reduce the risk that a major crisis could interrupt its ability to defend itself.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Surveillance video shows Jesse Driscoll stopped dead in his tracks, hopped across the lobby, and grabbed a chair as if preparing to tame a lion.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 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
  • Kennedy will helm a team of producers designing the look and content of dual ceremonies that will kick off the Summer Olympics on July 14, 2028 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
    — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • McCormack had a hand in designing some of the company’s first half-dozen restaurants as a contractor, then joined Cheesecake Factory full-time in 1995, a few years after the chain went public.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 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
  • Her labor-organizing career took root in California’s agriculturally rich Central Valley, and her foundation is headquartered in Bakersfield.
    — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The researchers realized that condensates concentrate molecules, pre-organizing them into a flexible microenvironment without locking them in place like a solid.
    — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 28 Oct. 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 4 Nov. 2026.

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