: 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
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
Mix that with plenty of awkward moments and some ribald humor, and this is already shaping up to be yet another terrific season of one of HBO’s best shows.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shape-up
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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
With Conan O'Brien making his Oscars hosting debut and nominees like Timothée Chalamet, Zoe Saldaña, and Cynthia Erivo vying for top honors, the 97th Academy Awards is shaping up to be a must-watch event.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
Mix that with plenty of awkward moments and some ribald humor, and this is already shaping up to be yet another terrific season of one of HBO’s best shows.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shape-up
Cite this Entry
“Shape-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shape-up. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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