as in to form
to take on a definite form
this group of summer interns is shaping up to be one of the best we've ever hired
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to improve
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of shape (up)
Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2025
Boston won each of the first three games by one run — a notable development given how the club had lost an MLB-high 19 one-run games prior — and Sunday was shaping up to be another razor-thin affair until the Red Sox finally pulled ahead in the sixth.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
And how is your Independence Day forecast shaping up?
👋 Howdy!Rebecca Morin here.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 4 July 2025
Before Saturday Night’s Main Event, one likely scenario that was shaping up was Punk and Reigns teaming up to take on Rollins and one member of his faction at SummerSlam.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shape (up)
Verb
Boston won each of the first three games by one run — a notable development given how the club had lost an MLB-high 19 one-run games prior — and Sunday was shaping up to be another razor thin affair until the Red Sox finally pulled ahead in the sixth.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2025
Boston won each of the first three games by one run — a notable development given how the club had lost an MLB-high 19 one-run games prior — and Sunday was shaping up to be another razor-thin affair until the Red Sox finally pulled ahead in the sixth.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
And how is your Independence Day forecast shaping up?
👋 Howdy!Rebecca Morin here.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 4 July 2025
Before Saturday Night’s Main Event, one likely scenario that was shaping up was Punk and Reigns teaming up to take on Rollins and one member of his faction at SummerSlam.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shape (up)
Cite this Entry
“Shape (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shape%20%28up%29. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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