shaping (up) 1 of 2

present participle of shape (up)

shaping up

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of shape up
as in straightening (up or out)
to change one's behavior or character for the better told his son that if he didn't shape up, he'd be grounded for a month

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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 (up)
Verb
The Texas Senate race is shaping up to be a crowded one with competitive primaries on both the Republican and Democratic sides. Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 13 Sep. 2025 Saturday is shaping up to be a repeat. Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025 Temperatures in the low to mid-90s are likely Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday shaping up to be the hottest day of the week. Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025 The bad news for the Bears is that Tarleton State is bringing what's shaping up to be the best team in school history to Estes Stadium this Saturday. Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2025 The company’s debut is shaping up as a referendum not on point-of-sale financing, but on whether AI can rewrite the economics of consumer finance. Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 This is shaping up to be a slog. Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025 The employment survey was shaping up as one of the most closely watched in years. Paul Davidson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025 Between that and Brother Dude’s quest, this is shaping up to be one hell of a finale. Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shaping (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaping%20%28up%29. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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