Better
Better verb - To be greater, better, or stronger than.
Shape up
Shape up verb - To change one's behavior or character for the better.
Usage example: angrily told his son that if he didn't shape up, he'd be grounded for a month
Mutual synonyms
Both terms in one sentence
- His death is a large reason that the crew shape up and start working together better.
Source: A Protagonist Is Ryu -
As the characters mature, however, their appearances shape up a bit and the actors correspond a bit better.
Source: Adaptational Attractiveness - The western Allied authorities in all sectors pounded it into the Germans that they were all responsible for what happened during the war, including the Holocaust, and that they had better repent and shape up!
Cite this Source
Shape up and Better. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/better/shape_up
Better & Shape up. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/better/shape_up>.
Shape up or Better. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/better/shape_up.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "better" and "shape up" have occurred on timeline