shape up
informal — phrasal verb with shape /ʃeɪp/ verb [T]Definition
› [usually continuous] to develop: How are your plans shaping up? Things seem to be shaping up nicely. Colin is shaping up quite well in his new job.Making progress and advancingBecoming better › to improve your behaviour or performance: I've been told that if I don't shape up, I'll lose my job.Becoming betterMaking things betterMaking progress and advancing
(Definition of shape up from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
Browse related topics
You are looking at an entry to do with Making progress and advancing, but you might be interested in these topics from the Doing and achieving topic area:
- Abstaining and refraining
- Acting and acts
- Avoiding action
- Becoming better
- Cancelling and interrupting
- Competing and contending (non-sporting)
- Coping and not coping
- Delaying and wasting time
- Describing the leading position
- Efficient and effective
- Expressions telling people to hurry up
- Failing and doing badly
- Failures
- Getting involved for one's own benefit or against others' will
- Hesitating
- Higher and lower points of achievement
- Hurrying and doing things quickly
- Making things better
- Performing a function
- Potential
- Reacting and responding
- Repeating an action
- Succeeding, achieving and fulfilling
- Success and achievements
- Successful (things or people)
- Surpassing in quality or number
- Taking part and getting involved
- Trying and making an effort
- Unsuccessful (people and things)
- Waiting
- Ways of achieving things
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SMART Thesaurus
Synonyms and related words:
- a step forward idiom
- advance verb (MOVE FORWARD)
- advancement noun
- ahead adverb (IN FRONT)
- be cooking idiom
- betterment noun
- carry verb (DEVELOP)
- go great guns idiom
- graduate verb (PROGRESS)
- grow into sb/sth phrasal verb
- grow out of sth phrasal verb (IDEA)
- grow verb (INCREASE)
- have come a long way idiom
- mature verb (DEVELOP MENTALLY)
- rebuild verb
- regenerate verb (GROW)
- ripen verb
- rise noun (MOVEMENT UP)
- simmer verb
- spread your wings idiom
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
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