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)
Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
The 37-year-old is seemingly all but booked to fight Jack Della Maddalena on what’s shaping up to be an epic UFC 312 card in Sydney, Australia.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
With an intermission halfway through and a — wait for it — budget under $10 million, The Brutalist was the talk of this year’s Venice Film Festival; Corbet scooped up the best director award, and his stars, Adrien Brody and Jones, set the pace for what are shaping up to be fierce acting races.
—Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2024
Target has emerged as a laggard within what is shaping up to be a field of clear winners and losers for the major retail stocks this year.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shape (up) 
Verb
The race to replace Council Member Carlina Rivera, who cannot run in 2025 due to term limits, is shaping up to be among the most competitive Council races.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
The 37-year-old is seemingly all but booked to fight Jack Della Maddalena on what’s shaping up to be an epic UFC 312 card in Sydney, Australia.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
With an intermission halfway through and a — wait for it — budget under $10 million, The Brutalist was the talk of this year’s Venice Film Festival; Corbet scooped up the best director award, and his stars, Adrien Brody and Jones, set the pace for what are shaping up to be fierce acting races.
—Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2024
Target has emerged as a laggard within what is shaping up to be a field of clear winners and losers for the major retail stocks this year.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shape (up)
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Cite this Entry
“Shape (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shape%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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