: a system of hiring workers and especially longshoremen by the day or shift by having applicants gather for each day's selection
also
: an instance of such hiring practice
shaped up; shaping up; shapes up
: to improve to a good or acceptable condition or standard of behavior
shaping up at the gym
: to bring to a good or acceptable condition or standard of behavior
Examples of shape-up in a Sentence
Verb
told his son that if he didn't shape up, he'd be grounded for a month
this group of summer interns is shaping up to be one of the best we've ever hired
Recent Examples on the Web
A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, Parents, 7 Dec. 2023
Meira Gebel, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
While 2022 stands as its most successful year (The Black Phone and Halloween Ends each posted nine-figure returns), 2024 has shaped up to be a wobbly span of months for the company.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shape-up 
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.
Noun
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut Is there anything more powerful than a fresh shape-up?
—A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, Parents, 7 Dec. 2023
Verb
Oregon's 5th Congressional District race is shaping up to be a key battleground in the fight for a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
—Meira Gebel, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
While 2022 stands as its most successful year (The Black Phone and Halloween Ends each posted nine-figure returns), 2024 has shaped up to be a wobbly span of months for the company.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shape-up
Dictionary Entries Near shape-up
Cite this Entry
“Shape-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shape-up. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share