: a system of hiring workers and especially longshoremen by the day or shift by having applicants gather for each day's selection
also
: an instance of such hiring practice
shaped up; shaping up; shapes up
: to improve to a good or acceptable condition or standard of behavior
shaping up at the gym
: to bring to a good or acceptable condition or standard of behavior
Examples of shape-up in a Sentence
Verb
told his son that if he didn't shape up, he'd be grounded for a month
this group of summer interns is shaping up to be one of the best we've ever hired
Recent Examples on the Web
A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, Parents, 7 Dec. 2023
Christine Clarridge, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024
The revival, which opened Oct. 20 at New York’s St. James Theatre, is already shaping up to be a word-of-mouth hit stateside.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shape-up 
Noun
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut Is there anything more powerful than a fresh shape-up?
—A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, Parents, 7 Dec. 2023
Verb
Seattle's winter forecast is shaping up to be chilly and wet, driven by weak La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific.
—Christine Clarridge, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024
The revival, which opened Oct. 20 at New York’s St. James Theatre, is already shaping up to be a word-of-mouth hit stateside.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shape-up
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shape-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near shape-up
Cite this Entry
“Shape-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shape-up. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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