1
as in forms
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance
that part of the state is known as the panhandle because of its shape
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
1
as in adapts
to change (something) so as to make it suitable for a new use or situation
a dress shaped to the customer's particular figure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in designs
to work out the details of (something) in advance
over the winter the committee shaped the company's new marketing strategy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shapes
Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Shop the rug in three colors and in a variety of round, rectangular, and runner shapes.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Dog breeds like pugs and French and English bulldogs now have significantly altered skull shapes that result in serious, and even life-threatening, issues created by our value of aesthetics.
—New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
Today’s books come in all shapes and sizes, with several indie producers creating high-quality products for proud paper nerds.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Gast Studio’s Stem Vase, on show at group exhibition Deoron, features glossy oversized thorn shapes that give the object both a hostile presence and a pleasingly jagged profile, like a rose stem on steroids.
—Francesca Perry, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
The loose/flat shapes arranged in a rectangle mean something in their relationships, just as much as the verbal meaning or the obvious ideas at play.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
SeaWorld likens the experience to the LED room in its Jewels of the Sea attraction that brings to life various shapes and sizes of jellyfish.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
Blue-accent interiors by Inge Moore from London’s award-winning Muza Lab are a playful take on shapes and textures inspired by Maldivian dhoni boats and striped Feyli sarongs.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 Apr. 2026
The person who shapes the space often gets perceived as the person shaping the discussion.
—Kelly Ehlers, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2026
That same thinking shapes the league’s touring strategy.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
But there is a point where the prediction shapes and manipulates the actual outcome.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
Set the scene The faint outline of distant mountains shapes a far-off horizon, where the spluttering of racing 4x4s belongs to another world.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
Mason Royal, his son-in-law, is director of operations, and his daughter, Lily Rosenthal Royal, shapes branding and hospitality as creative director.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
That approach shapes the entire design.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2026
These are films in which marijuana shapes not just the tone, rhythm, and plot, but also the worldviews of the characters themselves.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
The shapes don’t have to be uniform.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Shop the rug in three colors and in a variety of round, rectangular, and runner shapes.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Dog breeds like pugs and French and English bulldogs now have significantly altered skull shapes that result in serious, and even life-threatening, issues created by our value of aesthetics.
—New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
Today’s books come in all shapes and sizes, with several indie producers creating high-quality products for proud paper nerds.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Gast Studio’s Stem Vase, on show at group exhibition Deoron, features glossy oversized thorn shapes that give the object both a hostile presence and a pleasingly jagged profile, like a rose stem on steroids.
—Francesca Perry, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
The loose/flat shapes arranged in a rectangle mean something in their relationships, just as much as the verbal meaning or the obvious ideas at play.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
SeaWorld likens the experience to the LED room in its Jewels of the Sea attraction that brings to life various shapes and sizes of jellyfish.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
Blue-accent interiors by Inge Moore from London’s award-winning Muza Lab are a playful take on shapes and textures inspired by Maldivian dhoni boats and striped Feyli sarongs.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
Designers have a powerful role to play in reducing the apparel industry’s microplastic footprint—every material choice directly shapes environmental impact.
—Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 Apr. 2026
The person who shapes the space often gets perceived as the person shaping the discussion.
—Kelly Ehlers, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2026
That same thinking shapes the league’s touring strategy.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
But there is a point where the prediction shapes and manipulates the actual outcome.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
Set the scene The faint outline of distant mountains shapes a far-off horizon, where the spluttering of racing 4x4s belongs to another world.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
Mason Royal, his son-in-law, is director of operations, and his daughter, Lily Rosenthal Royal, shapes branding and hospitality as creative director.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
That approach shapes the entire design.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2026
These are films in which marijuana shapes not just the tone, rhythm, and plot, but also the worldviews of the characters themselves.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shapes
Noun
-
The rise of perfume bottles as cultural artifacts suggests that fragrance is entering a new phase — one in which its physical forms are finally being recognized as part of design history.—
Sudhir Gupta,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
-
In 2018, an international research group from Europe and Japan created an ambitious computer simulation of the dynamics of water molecules that aimed to predict undiscovered forms of ice.—
Shalma Wegsman,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The trend also comes at a time when weight-loss medications are on the rise, more ultra-thin physiques appear to dominate red carpets and some social media users have built platforms off the outward pursuit of thinness.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
The hit show adapts the iconography of the beloved games while continuing to establish its own identity as one of the most creative shows on television.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Rotterdam is what happens when a city in the midst of transformation adapts to change without losing any reverence for its former selves.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Even in the more modern setting, the dainty designs on the plastic tubes and metal tins convey the history of the product within.—
Gabriella Fine,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Lara Hermanson co-owns Farmscape, which designs, installs, and maintains crop and native plant gardens in California.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The meeting between the two dignitaries will won’t include a livestreamed news conference like those the president has hosted with other international figures.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The large monetary figures Ingoglia unveiled during each news conference came from analyses conducted by the state’s Department of Governmental Efficiency team, or DOGE, which had requested budget information from and visited many municipalities across the state.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Write down your thoughts, and then build habits to make this personal constitution come alive.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Your daily routine, work environment or even your mental habits could feel slightly off today.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If one pitch isn’t working or another pitch is dominating, Marcello adjusts accordingly.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Foiling yachts typically run software that adjusts the foils hundreds of times a second to maintain safe, level flight.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Today’s newsletter highlights David Scott’s daughter, Marcye Scott, plans to run in the special election to fill his unexpired term.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Sources told Variety at the time that Marvel plans to keep a small visual development team, hiring people on a project by project basis, and remains committed to working with visual development artists on its projects.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shapes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shapes. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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