🔷 Visible form 💪 Physical condition 🧭 To influence 🔨 To form 💡 Symbolic form 🖥️ Data dimensions

shape

628 1.0

The visible form of a thing or person

noun
/ʃeɪp/

: forma

The shape of her face is very distinct, making her easily recognizable.
size and shape
shape and color
take shape

And then we're going to cut the shape in to match.

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Examples

So this is the shape of Fraser's new room.
The size and the shape of the brain are normal.

Rampage (1987)
So I just want you to see this shape one more time.
Hey, speaking of head shape, what do you think?

Babes (2024)
My question concerns the shape of the universe.
Now watch what happens to this shape when I dunk it in water.
And it's just the perfect little shape to highlight your cheekbones.

sophdoeslife
A papier-mache musical box in the shape of a barrel organ.

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Your suit can stretch as far as you can, without injuring yourself, and still retain its shape.

The Incredibles (2004)
On one side was pressed a feathery green leaf in the shape, nearly, of a Christmas tree.

Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

form

vsshape

382 1.3

The visible shape or structure of something

is limited to the outward look rather than abstract or structural uses

appearance

vsshape

319 1.8

The way a person or thing looks to other people

is the object's actual outer look rather than how people perceive it

configuration

vsshape

95 4.8

How parts are arranged in something, like furniture or a machine

focuses on internal or systemic arrangement rather than outward visible look

silhouette

vsshape

65 4.2

A dark shape of a person or thing against a light background

describes visible look in any lighting, not only high contrast profiles

outline

vsshape

55 2.7

A line that shows the outer shape of something

focuses on the whole visible look rather than only the outer edge

contour

vsshape

23 4.5

Shape or outline of something that shows its main parts

refers to general visible look rather than detailed feature lines or profiles

conformation

vsshape

Specialized

4 7.0

How the parts of something are put together to make its shape

means the visible outer look rather than internal part arrangement or structure

Antonyms

formlessness

1 7.2

The state of having no clear shape or structure

Idioms

in shape

137 2.6

A person who is fit and healthy because they exercise regularly

bent out of shape

Informal

21 8.4

Very upset about a small or unimportant thing

shape up or ship out

Informal

1 8.1

A warning that tells someone to get better or leave

Compounds

cone shape

4 2.3

A shape with a round base that narrows to a single point at the top like an ice cream cone

round shape

4 1.0

A curved form with no sharp corners like a circle

wedge shape

2 3.6

A shape wide at one end and narrow at the other

bell shape

2 3.2

A rounded form that is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top like a bell

funnel shape

2 3.4

A cone-like shape that is wide at one end and narrow at the other

curved shape

2 1.9

A form that bends smoothly without sharp angles, like a rainbow

natural shape

1 2.3

The form of something made by nature, not changed by people

S-shape

1 3.9

A double curve that looks like the letter S

leaf shape

Specialized

1 2.8

The outline of a leaf that helps identify plants

disk shape

1 2.8

A round flat form like a coin or plate

angular shape

1 4.4

A shape with sharp corners and straight sides

amorphous shape

1 6.7

A thing that has no clear form, like a cloud or stain

wave shape

Specialized

1 5.8

The line on a graph that shows how a sound or signal changes over time

shape-up

Archaic

1 9.3

A morning way of choosing dock workers who gather and are picked for daily jobs

change of shape

1 3.2

The way something becomes a different form when it is bent, heated, or pressed

distorted shape

1 5.9

Something that no longer looks like its original form after bending or heat

convex shape

Specialized

1 4.3

A shape that curves outward everywhere like a ball or a lens

concave shape

1 5.2

A shape that curves inward like a bowl or satellite dish

Gaussian shape

Specialized

1 6.9

A smooth bell-shaped curve that shows how values spread around the average

polygonal shape

Specialized

1 4.2

A flat figure with straight sides like a triangle or square

shape constancy

Specialized

7.5

Seeing a solid object like a door as the same form from different angles

How Clear

outline

55 2.7

shape

628 1.0

to silhouette

10 6.1

blur

80 4.2

Surface Forms

shape singular

shapes plural

Etymology

The word shape comes from an old English verb sceapian that meant 'to form' or 'make', a root like the German schaffen which also means 'to make'. So a shape is the form something is 'made' into, which is why we use it for the visible outline or appearance of a thing.