shaping
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of giving something a specific shape, character, or direction.
the process of influencing the development or form of something, whether physical or abstract.
Simple“The shaping of the new law took many months of debate.”
In context“The shaping of public opinion was heavily influenced by the media's framing of the economic crisis during the election cycle.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a way of teaching a new skill by rewarding every small step toward the final goal.
a method of training by which successive approximations of a target behavior are reinforced.
Simple“The trainer used shaping to teach the dog how to open the door.”
In context“Through the process of shaping, the therapist helped the patient gradually overcome their social anxiety by reinforcing increasingly complex interactions.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun in behavioral contexts.
Synonymssuccessive approximation
“The artists wrote in their letter: “The climate crisis is no longer something we fear for future generations; it is shaping our lives today.”
“Over time, these shared beliefs can become part of a team’s identity, shaping how it responds under pressure.”
From Middle English schapynge, equivalent to shape + -ing.
From Middle English shapinge, shapende, schapende, schappande, from Old English sċyppende, sċeppende, from Proto-West Germanic skappjandī, from Proto-Germanic skapjandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *skapjaną (“to form, shape, create”), equivalent to shape + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.