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shape

shape

50 4.1
A visible form that represents an idea
  • noun
  • /ʃeɪp/
: forma
  • The final section examines the shape, depth, and texture of the newspapers' coverage of the story.
  • take shape
  • give shape to

Desire also the shape of a torso between breaths.

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Examples

  • She drew a shape that represented her feelings about freedom.

  • Your body is in the shape of a letter.

  • Like something in the shape of a present.

  • I mean, it truly changes the shape of your nose and your face bones.

  • To me, that has the shape of an octopus.

  • As I could see now, the objects were ovoidal in shape and appeared to be transparent.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Amalia's dreams begin to take tangible shape in her writing by the end of the project.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Dresses were often cut on the bias, creating a narrow although fluid shape that highlighted women's bodies.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The sculpture has a unique shape that captures the essence of movement.

  • The map of the country clearly shows the shape of its borders.

Synonyms

figure
vsshape
475 3.1

The shape of a person's body

is used for visible examples that represent abstract ideas not bodies or dances
form
vsshape
382 1.3

The visible shape or structure of something

is specifically about showing an abstract idea rather than general appearance
representation
vsshape
108 3.5

A picture or model that shows what something looks like

is the visible way focused on concrete examples of abstract ideas
embodiment
vsshape
34 5.5

A person or thing that shows an idea, quality and feeling

is the visible form itself rather than a living example
icon
vsshape
11 3.9

A picture that represents a person, thing, or idea

is a broader visible instance not limited to surface images
forme
vsshape
  • Archaic
1 9.9

The shape or outer appearance of something

is the modern visible term for showing abstract ideas not the older word
symbolic figure
vsshape
1 6.4

A person or object that stands for an idea with deeper meaning

is a concrete visible example focused on direct representation not deep hidden meaning
1 4.4

A clear, simple example that helps you see an idea that is hard to imagine

is a visible way that represents an abstract idea without stressing clarity

Antonyms

24 8.0

Making a simple idea from many details to show what is common

8 6.1

Lack of clear or exact meaning that makes things hard to understand

Idioms

137 2.6

A person who is fit and healthy because they exercise regularly

21 8.4

Very upset about a small or unimportant thing

1 8.1

A warning that tells someone to get better or leave

Compounds

4 2.3

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

4 1.0

A curved form with no sharp corners like a circle

2 3.6

A shape wide at one end and narrow at the other

2 3.2

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

2 3.4

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

2 1.9

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

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

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

1 2.8

A round flat form like a coin or plate

A shape with sharp corners and straight sides

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

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

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

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 Concrete

embodiment
34 5.5
shape
50 4.1
form
∞ 1.5
outline
64 2.7
impression
737 3.1
hint
276 1.5

Surface Forms

shape singular
shapes plural

Etymology

The word shape comes from the old English sceapian ('to form' or 'make'), so people often used a visible form to show an idea. That's why a simple shape, like a key or a triangle, can stand for an abstract meaning.