shape 1 of 2

noun

Definition of shapenext
1
as in health
a state of being or fitness she was in good shape after having worked outdoors all summer long

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in physique
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

shape

2 of 2

verb

ˈshāp How to pronounce shape (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shape
Noun
Experts describe the painting as unusual because of its circular shape and its depiction of two people instead of one, and rank it among the most vivid surviving portraits from Roman-era Egypt. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 And right in the middle is a cutout whose shape evokes the head of a bald eagle — and that's the name that Krasner gave to this collage. — Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
The exhibition is being shaped by Thai curator and art historian Apinan Poshyananda, who has served as artistic director since the Biennale’s 2018 founding. — News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026 One year after its opening, The Louis, its Shanghai megastore shaped like a cruise ship, continues to draw crowds. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shape
  1. health
  2. form
  3. physique
  4. adapt
  5. plan
  6. condition
  7. geometry
  8. frame
Noun
  • My beloved friend, father figure, musical hero and mentor, Mike Love, is facing serious health challenges.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The Fitbit Air is a budget-friendly, screen-free band focused primarily on health tracking, comfort, and long battery life.
    — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of health
Noun
  • Annals are historical records arranged by year; the clue leverages the entry’s singular form to misdirect us.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Swatting is a form of cyber harassment that typically involves a caller alerting law enforcement to an active shooter situation or some other sort of immediate danger that does not actually exist.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of form
Noun
  • An actor known for his macho presence and muscular physique, Sylvester Stallone does not fit the stereotype of a person with an eating disorder.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Gavin Francis From its origins in the classical physique and homoerotic spectacle, bodybuilding today often involves the use of steroids whose dangers are not properly understood.
    — Conor Heffernan, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of physique
Verb
  • The movie, directed by Siân Heder and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, adapts Gabrielle Zevin’s best-selling novel about game developers.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The ability to adapt to these pressures will play out differently across fashion’s market segments, Skrami said.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of adapt
Verb
  • Over the next three years, Movistar Plus plans to increase its annual output of Spanish originals from eight to 16 series, alongside another 10 titles through co-production and rights acquisition agreements.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The teen who was fatally shot at a south Fort Worth apartment complex Wednesday evening was planning to graduate from high school in May.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of plan
Noun
  • Hurricane conditions are expected within the Hurricane Warning area Friday night into early Saturday, with tropical storm conditions beginning on Friday.
    — MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • With top talent more sought-after and mobile than ever before, Sweden creates conditions that attract and retain the best inventors.
    — Jan Larsson, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of condition
Noun
  • During demonstrations, the researchers folded the material diagonally in opposite directions, and its digital counterpart followed the changing geometry.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • This concept shows up in geometry in the shapes of organisms and, most consequentially, in the molecules that make up living things.
    — Mallory Green, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of geometry
Noun
  • That emphasis on choosing what remains outside the frame informed his view that virtual reality cannot replace cinema.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • On top of sharp dual-pixel autofocus, the R8 also has great high ISO handling and is one of the lightest Canon full-frame mirrorless cameras.
    — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of frame

Phrases Containing shape

Browse Nearby Words

shapable
shape
shaped
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Cite this Entry

“Shape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shape. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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