: 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
Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2024
Several additional factors also suggest that the second half of the fiscal year is shaping up to be much stronger than the first, particularly with the strategic acquisition of LHD Group in early July.
—Julius Juenemann, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shape-up 
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
September 13, 2024 4 min read The year 2024 could easily shape up to be the hottest ever measured, climate scientists say
By Saima S. Iqbal
In Japan more than 70,000 people visited emergency rooms for heat stroke this July and August alone.
—Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2024
Several additional factors also suggest that the second half of the fiscal year is shaping up to be much stronger than the first, particularly with the strategic acquisition of LHD Group in early July.
—Julius Juenemann, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shape-up
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shape-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 22 Sep. 2024.
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