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
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Recent Examples of shaping
CEOs and global leaders will gather for a dynamic, invitation-only event shaping the future of business.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Controversy over his videos highlights the role of social media and satire in shaping perceptions during high-stakes political standoffs, with both parties accusing each other of bad faith and bigotry amid the disruption of essential public services.
—Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The team’s data sheds new light on the universe’s ancient history, allowing scientists to better investigate the role asteroids have played in shaping our planet.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2025
Her work is shaping the future of our children, forcing district officials to get more teachers in classrooms.
—Greg Borowski, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The Nile was both a source of abundance and a constant threat, shaping Ancient Egypt’s religion, economy, and empire for millennia.
—Vanessa Taylor, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
Her case — along with others like Belén’s — played a crucial role in shaping the country’s laws on reproductive rights.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Institutions—including media, industry and government—play a major role in shaping culture, assumptions and divides.
—Emily Falk, Scientific American, 25 Sep. 2025
Today, the incentives shaping AI are set largely by venture capital and private markets, where short horizons and profit targets drive decisions.
—Vilas Dhar, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Dave Smith, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Controversy over his videos highlights the role of social media and satire in shaping perceptions during high-stakes political standoffs, with both parties accusing each other of bad faith and bigotry amid the disruption of essential public services.
—Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The team’s data sheds new light on the universe’s ancient history, allowing scientists to better investigate the role asteroids have played in shaping our planet.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2025
Her work is shaping the future of our children, forcing district officials to get more teachers in classrooms.
—Greg Borowski, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The Nile was both a source of abundance and a constant threat, shaping Ancient Egypt’s religion, economy, and empire for millennia.
—Vanessa Taylor, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
Her case — along with others like Belén’s — played a crucial role in shaping the country’s laws on reproductive rights.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Institutions—including media, industry and government—play a major role in shaping culture, assumptions and divides.
—Emily Falk, Scientific American, 25 Sep. 2025
Today, the incentives shaping AI are set largely by venture capital and private markets, where short horizons and profit targets drive decisions.
—Vilas Dhar, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shaping
Verb
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If Woltemade is still adjusting to his team-mates and his team-mates are still adjusting to him, the statistics suggest their offensive shortcomings are more fundamental.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Cut to a dinner scene, and Wang can be seen adjusting the Wulu pendant necklace on his mother’s neck during dinner.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Fast food chain Cookout is planning to open at least 19 new restaurants.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
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Anyone planning to bring an exotic animal into Kentucky is required to have transportation permit.—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Symptoms can vary widely, from food aversions and sleep problems to anxiety and trouble adapting to routines.—
Laura Dorwart,
Health,
29 Sep. 2025
-
That could include using solid-fuel motors in later iterations or adapting the design for aircraft, ships, or ground vehicle launches.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Broncos were without timeouts, so Nix was preparing to get in position to clock the ball and give Wil Lutz a field-goal attempt.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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Virginia’s large population of federal workers is preparing for major disruption.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Above the lounge, a mezzanine level is home to the tailoring atelier showcasing Canali’s sartorial tradition.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
1 Oct. 2025
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Other families approached the conversation differently, tailoring explanations to their children’s ages and experiences.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The museum’s executive director Steve Gilreath visited over 30 museums in the process of curating and designing the space.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
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The majority — or 57% of the conversations analyzed — related to curriculum development, like designing lesson plans and assignments.—
Lee V. Gaines,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Or putting one inside a carry-on just in case.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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Shortly thereafter, Dumas turned Birkin’s dreams of an alternative carryall into reality — gifting her with a Birkin bag prototype and putting the silhouette on the market in 1984.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hangers That Don’t Match Since her clients hire her to help create a clean, organized look, Tonia Tomlin of Sorted Out, a professional organizing company in Dallas, Texas, heads right for the closets and starts ditching all hangers that don’t match.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
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Certainly, some grassroots groups are organizing effectively.—
Sarah Stankorb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaping. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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