as in forming
to take on a definite form
this group of summer interns is shaping up to be one of the best we've ever hired
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in straightening (up or out)
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 shaping (up)
Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
This season is shaping up to be quite different, with the extensive list of injuries only two weeks in.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
This is shaping up as a shootout.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
The Texas Senate race is shaping up to be a crowded one with competitive primaries on both the Republican and Democratic sides.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 13 Sep. 2025
Saturday is shaping up to be a repeat.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Temperatures in the low to mid-90s are likely Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday shaping up to be the hottest day of the week.
—Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
The bad news for the Bears is that Tarleton State is bringing what's shaping up to be the best team in school history to Estes Stadium this Saturday.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2025
The company’s debut is shaping up as a referendum not on point-of-sale financing, but on whether AI can rewrite the economics of consumer finance.
—Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
The bigger picture is that travel demand has defied shaky economic data and is shaping up to be more of a secular bull market than the cyclical story many assumed.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
This season is shaping up to be quite different, with the extensive list of injuries only two weeks in.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
This is shaping up as a shootout.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
The Texas Senate race is shaping up to be a crowded one with competitive primaries on both the Republican and Democratic sides.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 13 Sep. 2025
Saturday is shaping up to be a repeat.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Temperatures in the low to mid-90s are likely Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday shaping up to be the hottest day of the week.
—Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
The bad news for the Bears is that Tarleton State is bringing what's shaping up to be the best team in school history to Estes Stadium this Saturday.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2025
The company’s debut is shaping up as a referendum not on point-of-sale financing, but on whether AI can rewrite the economics of consumer finance.
—Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shaping (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shaping%20%28up%29. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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