shapes 1 of 2

Definition of shapesnext
plural of shape
1
2
as in physiques
the type of body that a person has some specialty clothing stores sell clothing that suits people that have a particular shape

Synonyms & Similar Words

shapes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shape

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shapes
Noun
Type of pill Krill oils come in all shapes and sizes of pills. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026 This class is for ages 16 and older and includes skills such as how to throw, alter shapes and trim. Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026 Colorful, translucent magnetic blocks in all manner of sizes and shapes make bringing a vision to life easy. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026 Looking ahead, the family hopes to expand Lilo’s brand with educational content for kids, teaching basic concepts like shapes and numbers, while continuing to entertain sports fans around the world. Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026 The goal is cohesion, and using materials, shapes, and plant groupings that feel intentional—from the curb all the way to the front door. Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026 Fireclay’s Manzanita Gloss, for example, adds dynamic variation and organic richness to simple shapes and neutral colors. Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026 Social media captured attention; AI programs behavior, shapes thoughts, and mediates reality. Ian Bremmer, Time, 6 Jan. 2026 Two plates of electrically uncharged material — which Casimir envisioned as parallel metal sheets, although other shapes and substances will do — exert a force on each other. George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
The Basel Convention, a global treaty governing hazardous waste movement across borders, shapes how e-waste is recycled worldwide. Kristen Edgreen Kaufman, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026 The absence of representation among hospitality and tourism academia also shapes the kinds of research questions that get asked. Phil Jolly, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026 This suggests the presence of an internal, self-evolving latent variable—independent of external stimuli—that shapes the timing structure of motivation and decision-making. Matt Emma, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026 This complexity shapes what gets built—and too often determines whether systems are maintained, modernized, or strengthened over time. Kara Hurst, Time, 23 Jan. 2026 As with most Oscar categories, the casting branch shapes the race, but the final decision is made by the full academy. Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026 Dark matter is an enigmatic substance that shapes the cosmos and provides it with structure. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026 Her work explores the tension between family and freedom, grief, and how folklore shapes families and communities. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026 At the heart of this book is unfathomable sorrow that shapes the trajectory of all of her relationships and informs her actions and inactions. Shruti Mutalik, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shapes
Noun
  • Emerging voices and such big names as Tilda Swinton, The Secret Agent director and Oscar contender Kleber Mendonça Filho, and John Lithgow will come together in the Dutch city for a celebration of film in a wide variety of genres and forms.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
  • However, its main protection was the cabins’ rounded forms.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Thanks in part to Ozempic, thin is back in, with once-plus-size celebrities sporting svelter physiques, and some already-slim stars now verging on gaunt.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Part of this reflects the culture in South Korea, where rigid beauty standards have traditionally valued fair skin, slender physiques and hyper-feminine features.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Indensity adapts to real-world places—rising vertically next to communities, businesses, and high-value assets—without the sprawling land requirements of traditional grid-scale storage.
    CBS News, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Technology that adapts to the child Chau’s approach starts with a principle.
    Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The ‘emotion’ pillar reflects a fundamental shift in how Harding+ designs and delivers retail.
    Kevin Rozario, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Rottet also designs furniture pieces and presented upscale designs for Italian furniture maker Turri and Belgian firm Atelier Vierkant in 2025 in Milan.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • That set her apart from other South Korean first ladies – who traditionally were viewed as humble, behind-the-scenes figures.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
  • These students do not count toward the college's enrollment figures.
    Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The researchers concluded prevention efforts should focus on improving lifestyle habits when spending more time awake at night.
    Dr. Joseph Wendt, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • For electric vehicles, AI will optimize battery health, charging behavior, and energy usage based on driving habits and environmental conditions.
    Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • There’s a slider there that changes the volume for the ringtone and alert tones, which adjusts the volume of alarms, incoming call noises and some other notifications.
    David Phelan, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • While the wind determines our direction, our skilled pilot adjusts our altitude, guiding us gently over the landscape.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty Images BEIJING — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang plans to visit China in the coming days ahead of the mid-February Lunar New Year, two people familiar with the matter told CNBC.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Getty Images for Vox Media OpenAI plans to ship its first hardware device in 2026, a move into physical products following its acquisition of former Apple design chief Jony Ive’s company io.
    Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shapes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shapes. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.

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