WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

shape up
    v 1: develop in a positive way; "He progressed well in school";
         "My plants are coming along"; "Plans are shaping up" [syn:
         progress, come on, come along, advance, get on,
         get along, shape up] [ant: regress, retrograde,
         retrogress]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

60 Moby Thesaurus words for "shape up":
   advance, ameliorate, amend, be so, be such, come along, come on,
   come out, come through, come together, contrive, crystallize,
   develop, draw up, fall in, fall into line, fall into place,
   fall into rank, fare, form, gain, gain ground, gather around,
   get ahead, get along, get by, get on, go ahead, go along,
   go forward, go on, graduate, grow better, improve, look up,
   make headway, make out, make progress, make strides, manage,
   materialize, meliorate, mend, perk up, pick up, place itself,
   progress, rally round, range itself, shape, show improvement,
   skyrocket, stack up, take form, take its place, take off,
   take order, take rank, take shape, turn out