shaper

American  

[shey-per] / ˈʃeɪ pər /

noun

1. a person or thing that shapes.

2. a machine tool for forming flat surfaces, consisting of a frame, usually horizontal, on which the work is held while a cutting tool moves along it with a reciprocating motion.

3. (in woodworking) a stationary power tool driving a vertical spindle to which cutters are locked, used in joinery and for forming decorative edges.

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Etymology

Origin of shaper

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; shape, -er ¹

Example Sentences

The report identifies “oscillating inflation” as a key shaper of 2026 trends, its different components contributing to this “bifurcation” in consumer fortunes where the wealthier and their spending are immune to its pressure.

From MarketWatch

"Our people are losing that faith, not only in government itself but in the ability as citizens to serve as the ultimate rulers and shapers of our democracy," he said.

From BBC

In Cohen-Solal’s account, French xenophobia, primal and entrenched, was a major shaper of Picasso’s biography, and it’s her tracing of it that makes her book distinctive.

From New York Times

“They are the shapers of their own character. They don’t get dictated what it should be. They fill in what it should be for them.”

From Los Angeles Times

Avoiding tight clothes including belts and shapers also can improve how you feel.

From Washington Post