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Suffix · forms adjectives

-shaped

having the shape of a specified object or form; figuratively, having developed in a manner resembling a specified shape

In Spanish: con forma de / en forma deLiterary

Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated June 2026

What this suffix does

-shaped forms compound adjectives that describe either the literal shape of something (heart-shaped, crescent-shaped, pear-shaped) or the figurative sense in which something has developed or is structured (V-shaped recovery, U-shaped curve, pear-shaped disaster). The figurative -shaped compounds are particularly rich: "pear-shaped" in British English has become an idiom meaning "gone badly wrong," and the alphabet-shaped economic recoveries (V-shaped, U-shaped, L-shaped) have become standard vocabulary in economic journalism. -shaped compounds compress an entire visual metaphor into a single descriptor.

How it is pronounced

-shaped

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Examples

Base word
With -shaped
In a phrase
  • pearpear-shapedThe plan went pear-shaped when the key investor withdrew on the morning of the launch.
  • heartheart-shapedThe heart-shaped chocolates were a marketing decision that the product's engineers found professionally embarrassing.
  • VV-shapedThe V-shaped recovery the minister had promised never materialised; the economy flatlined instead.
  • crescentcrescent-shapedThe crescent-shaped bay offered perfect shelter for the fleet during winter storms.
  • LL-shapedThe L-shaped recovery — rapid fall, then flat stagnation — became the defining feature of the lost decade.

Common mistakes

"pear-shaped" = shaped like a pear (a compliment, since pears are attractive)
"pear-shaped" (British English) = gone completely wrong; failed in a disastrous way

"Pear-shaped" as an idiom in British English means that something has gone completely and comprehensively wrong — nothing to do with the shape of a pear. The origin is disputed (possibly from RAF slang, possibly from pottery), but the figurative meaning is firmly established. To say a plan "went pear-shaped" is to say it failed badly. Learners who know only the literal meaning will completely misread sentences using this idiom.

V-shaped and U-shaped only describe graphs
V-shaped and U-shaped describe the trajectory of events, policies, and recoveries in journalism and analysis

"V-shaped" and "U-shaped" in economic and political analysis describe the trajectory of decline and recovery. A V-shaped recovery falls sharply and then rises sharply; a U-shaped recovery has a longer period at the bottom. These have become standard analytical vocabulary in journalism, political debate, and policy discussion — not just descriptions of graphs but predictions about how events will unfold.

A trick to remember it

"Pear-shaped" is one of those idioms that is completely opaque to a non-native speaker who knows only the literal meaning. "Go pear-shaped" means "go completely wrong" — and knowing it requires cultural knowledge, not just vocabulary. This is a good reminder that compound adjectives in English can carry figurative meanings that bear no logical relationship to their components. When you see an unusual -shaped compound in British English, check whether it has an idiomatic meaning before interpreting it literally.

Practise what you learned

Exercise 1 · Form the word

Fill in: "The entire operation went ___ when the safe turned out to contain nothing but old newspapers." (went completely wrong; failed in an unexpected and comprehensive way)

Hint: Pear + shaped = British English idiom for going completely wrong.

Exercise 2 · Pick the right one

"Economists debated whether the recovery would be V-shaped or U-shaped." What is the difference?

Exercise 3 · Form the word

Fill in: "The ___ bay provided natural shelter for the fishing fleet throughout the winter months." (curved into a shape resembling a crescent moon; forming a curved, sheltered enclosure)

Hint: Crescent + shaped = having the curved shape of a crescent moon.

Frequently asked questions

What does the suffix -shaped mean in English?

The suffix -shaped having the shape of a specified object or form; figuratively, having developed in a manner resembling a specified shape In Spanish it usually maps to con forma de / en forma de.

Can you give an example of a word with -shaped?

"pear" becomes "pear-shaped". It is a typical example of the -shaped suffix.

Other useful suffixes

  • -cut

    shaped, defined, or formed by cutting in a specified manner; having edges or outlines of a specified clarity and sharpness

  • -set

    placed, embedded, or established in a specified manner or depth; describing position, disposition, or the depth of establishment

Learn every English suffix

-tion, -ness, -ful, -ly, -able... every ending you need to understand thousands of words at once.

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