1
as in health
a state of being or fitness
she was in good shape after having worked outdoors all summer long
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in form
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance
that part of the state is known as the panhandle because of its shape
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to adapt
to change (something) so as to make it suitable for a new use or situation
a dress shaped to the customer's particular figure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plan
to work out the details of (something) in advance
over the winter the committee shaped the company's new marketing strategy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shape
Photovogue, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2025
The team cleaned, weighed, quantified, measured and studied the beads, which were fairly uniform in size and shape, to understand how and why they were made, García Sanjuán said.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
Over the past four years, an extraordinary group of Black women worked at the highest levels of government, shaping policy, driving meaningful change and serving the nation in pivotal roles.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for shape 
Noun
Their petals mimic the shapes around them, like the sharpness of a bird's beak, or the fold-like currents of wind, playing with the soil's tones while absorbing the solar dust that excites their veins.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2025
The team cleaned, weighed, quantified, measured and studied the beads, which were fairly uniform in size and shape, to understand how and why they were made, García Sanjuán said.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
Verb
The backlash stems from allegations of referee favoritism, with fans pointing to controversial calls that shaped the game's outcome.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
Over the past four years, an extraordinary group of Black women worked at the highest levels of government, shaping policy, driving meaningful change and serving the nation in pivotal roles.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for shape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shape
Noun
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Given their effectiveness at causing weight loss and improving health, GLP-1 drugs will likely become more common and increase in use, Hackensack’s Kipnis predicted.—
Melissa Rudy,
Fox News,
23 Jan. 2025
-
If colleagues always show up, braving minor health issues or car breakdowns, newcomers learn a different norm.—
Lieke ten Brummelhuis,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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That plan was likewise rebuffed by congress and redesigned in more limited form, and is now working its way through the legislature.—
Sammy Feldblum,
The Dial,
30 Jan. 2025
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So perhaps a bit of outside force in the form of a new daily planner might help.—
Cora Harrington,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Martin compares its narrative to Batman: Year One, a seminal story about the Dark Knight's early life, while the Slayer's physique and screen presence were modeled after Batman in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.—
John Yoo and John Shu,
Newsweek,
24 Jan. 2025
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Your dream business, routine, partner, setup, physique and disposition.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
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More than 30 years after illustrating Norton Juster's cult kids' book, Feiffer returned to the genre as an author, with books like 1993's The Man in the Ceiling (eventually adapted into a musical with Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller) and his 2010 re-teaming with Juster, The Odious Ogre.—
Etelka Lehoczky,
NPR,
21 Jan. 2025
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These insights can inform smarter business decisions and help adapt to changing industry dynamics.—
Pete First,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But always planning for Kane’s now potentially unlikely in-season return only adds more fodder to anyone who thinks GM Stan Bowman should have matched at least one of the offer sheets to Dylan Holloway or Philip Broberg.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
The Athletic,
25 Jan. 2025
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Trump is planning major changes to how the department functions, including involving the military in immigration enforcement and reshaping the Federal Emergency Management Agency.—
Associated Pess,
Hartford Courant,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
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However, WalletHub’s study is less about Texas drivers and more about road conditions and vehicle maintenance.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Jan. 2025
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Speed limits are based on ideal conditions—not icy roads.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Muslim architects, engineers, and artisans led the world in their understanding of geometry, optics, woodworking, mining, metalwork, stone carving, and other fields.—
David Conrads,
The Christian Science Monitor,
30 Jan. 2025
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All the work to that point had been done using the design rules—transistor and circuit geometries—for the existing 65-nanometer node rather than a future 45-nanometer node.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
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These upgrades, such as wider door frames, more hand rails, repositioning outlets, securing grab bars, living on one level, better lighting, and no shower curbs, can be understood and executed more efficiently with technology like Block.—
Jennifer Castenson,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
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Former offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb often cited play strength as the top area for improvement for Haynes, who is listed as 6-foot-3 and 317 pounds but has a light lower frame (Grubb mentioned technique issues as well).—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shape. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
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