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to shapeshift

to shapeshift

3 8.6
To change your body or look into another form, often an animal
  • verb
  • /ˈʃeɪpˌʃɪft/
  • Literature
translation icon : transformarse
  • Filius dances with the streetlights, talks to statues, and is tended by a shapeshifting pile of garbage and insects with eggshells for eyes.

Examples

  • He can travel and shapeshift at will.

  • She has the magical ability to shapeshift, allowing her to take the form of anyone she desires.

  • We all know they can shapeshift.

  • OK, We know that they can shapeshift from the story of Cain.

  • Can't you shapeshift or something?

  • I can shapeshift.

  • He could shapeshift.

  • Mishepeshu can shapeshift into, among other things, the form of a beautiful man, with copper skin, green eyes, and "a mouth as tender as a child's" (T, 11).

    Academic text (1997)
  • Unfortunately, the place is crawling with Vril and I'm not hugely fond of shapeshifting reptilian humanoids.

  • Lilith could very well be the flipside of Samael, seeing as demons—the ruling ones—can shapeshift.

    Blog text (2)

Synonyms

to change
vsto shapeshift
1.0

To make something or someone different

is specific to personal physical alteration, often magical, not a general difference
to turn into
vsto shapeshift
890 2.2

To change into something different or make something change

often stresses magical self change in fiction rather than general becoming
to transform
vsto shapeshift
523 3.4

Change something a lot so it looks or works very differently

is specifically about personal physical alteration, especially by magical means
to morph
vsto shapeshift
76 5.8

To change smoothly from one form to another

implies sudden magical bodily alteration rather than a smooth gradual process
to change shape
vsto shapeshift
9 3.6

To become a different shape

often implies a magical or fictional self alteration rather than an ordinary one
to transmute
vsto shapeshift
8 7.5

To change something into a different form or material

focuses on material or substance conversion rather than personal bodily alteration
to metamorphose
vsto shapeshift
5 8.2

Change completely in form or appearance

focuses on personal, often magical bodily alteration rather than only dramatic transformation
to change form
vsto shapeshift
4 3.9

To become a different shape or look

typically refers to self transformation in magical fiction rather than general alteration
to transfigure
vsto shapeshift
  • Literature
4 8.2

To change a person or thing so they look more beautiful and spiritual

emphasizes beautifying or spiritual elevation rather than simple physical form alteration
to transmogrify
vsto shapeshift
3 9.9

To change something into a very different form, often as if by magic

refers to altering one's own physical form, not just objects, often in fiction
to shapeshift into
vsto shapeshift
  • Literature
9.4

Change into another form, like a person or animal, by magic

means the same but is used without adding a direction word

Phrasal Verbs

to shapeshift into
  • Literature
9.4

Change into another form, like a person or animal, by magic

To change your form or appearance whenever you want

How Complete

to shapeshift
  • Literature
3 8.6
to transform
523 3.4
to disguise
165 3.4
to alter
493 2.5

Surface Forms

shapeshift infinitive
shapeshifted past participle
shapeshifting present participle
shapeshifts third person singular

Morphology

shapeshift = shape + shift (transparent) = shape + shift

The verb is a direct compound of 'shape' + 'shift' and its meaning 'change shape' follows straightforwardly from the components.

Etymology

Shapeshift comes from two simple words, shape ('form' or 'appearance') and shift ('to move' or 'to change'). So, shapeshift literally means to 'change form', which fits its use for magical or fictional characters who change their body or looks.