take shape

idiomatic phrase

: to assume a definite or distinctive form : to develop and become apparent or established
The plan is finally taking shape.
Edison's tireless work habits took shape during his childhood …Paul Gray
The proto-planetary fragments crashed together, coalesced by gravity, and crashed again into other fragments, until they gradually took shape as the planets we know today.M. Mitchell Waldrop
… the first half of the century, before the modern medical system took shape.Geoffrey Cowley

Examples of take shape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Bluff is just beginning to take shape and for prospective buyers searching for a rare opportunity to combine the conveniences of suburban living with the beauty of nature, now is the ideal time to explore possibilities that await at Polo Fields. Prime Development/the Bluff At The Polo Fields, Kansas City Star, 2 Feb. 2025 All suggest a kind of normalization that’s been taking shape in the years since Trump first left office. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025 As that model was heading into the history books, however, a whole new type of Vantage was taking shape. Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 30 Jan. 2025 That vision began to take shape this winter with the opening of the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley. Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 27 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for take shape 

Word History

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take shape was in 1560

Dictionary Entries Near take shape

Cite this Entry

“Take shape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20shape. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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