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to stay in shape

to stay in shape

14 2.8
Keep your body healthy and fit by doing regular exercise
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : mantenerse en forma
  • To stay in shape, it's important to combine exercise with a balanced diet.
  • a way to stay in shape
  • try to stay in shape
  • hard to stay in shape

And so, you know, for me, it's self talk, it's going on runs, staying in shape and you know.

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Examples

  • We both make sure we take time to exercise and stay in shape.

    Blog text (29)
  • The two most frequent reasons given by the participants for taking BIP classes were to have fun and stay in shape.

    Academic text (1998)
  • So how how did I manage to stay in shape while pregnant?

  • I travel, I am always eating out, but I find a way to stay in shape no matter what, right?

  • As a professional dancer, I know the importance of staying in shape.

  • How do you stay in shape and what does your diet consist of?

    Blog text (29)
  • Jon runs in various half-marathons throughout the year to stay in shape for the MCM.

    Blog text (32)
  • Running regularly helps you stay in shape and maintain your energy levels.

  • Many people join a gym to stay in shape and improve their overall health.

How Muscular

ripped
  • Slang
3.7
to get buff
  • Informal
1 6.1
to tone up
1 3.8
to stay in shape
14 2.8

Surface Forms

stay in shape infinitive
stayed in shape past participle
staying in shape present participle
stays in shape third person singular

Morphology

stay + in + shape

The meaning 'to maintain physical fitness' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'stay' (to remain) + 'in' (within) + 'shape' (physical condition), so a learner who knows the parts can infer the overall sense. This compositional pattern is common in English and has close parallels in many languages (e.g., Spanish 'mantenerse en forma'), making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The phrase stay in shape uses shape to mean the body's form. Imagine keeping your body in the right shape by exercising and eating well, so it means 'to stay healthy and fit'.