1
as in to congratulate
to express to (someone) admiration for his or her success or good fortune
she hugged herself for having made a killing on the investment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to clasp
to put one's arms around and press tightly
Grandma hugged the grandchildren good-bye
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hug
Tony East, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Ozturk, who appeared remotely from Louisiana and testified before the court, was seen hugging her lawyer after Sessions delivered his decision from the bench.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 10 May 2025
Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 19 May 2025
My two little boys ran up to me, gave me a hug, and then, my oldest son Shaan pulled me aside.
—Reshma Saujani, Time, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hug
Verb
On one hand, the Pacers essentially had four-on-four opportunities with Haliburton and his defender all but hugging 30+-feet from the rim.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Ozturk, who appeared remotely from Louisiana and testified before the court, was seen hugging her lawyer after Sessions delivered his decision from the bench.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 10 May 2025
Noun
Just put your arm around them, yeah, give her a hug.
—Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 19 May 2025
My two little boys ran up to me, gave me a hug, and then, my oldest son Shaan pulled me aside.
—Reshma Saujani, Time, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hug
Verb
-
By the end of the production, Benson gave the cast a standing ovation and became emotional, congratulating the crew through tears.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
19 May 2025
-
The Redditor said that her mother-in-law started tearing up and her boss stood up to congratulate them.—
Sabrina Weiss,
People.com,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
The bronze monument depicts the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, clasping arms.—
Ken Makin,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 May 2025
-
In France for the world premiere of Lee’s new film, Washington pointed his finger, spoke animatedly and clasped the arm of the photographer, who smiled his way through the exchange.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
One essential factor in Chicago’s architecture has been its unapologetic embrace of the ordinary.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 May 2025
-
The event that best summed up the embrace of Mr. Mamdani’s campaign by New York City’s young microinfluencers, though, is one that took place in March at an East Village club.—
Joseph Bernstein,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
Fence bears out With snow still clinging to mountainsides and bears still asleep, some 30 people have shown up in a converted Fernie railway station to discuss grizzly bear coexistence.—
Lesley Evans Ogden,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
-
Listen to this article The Queens single mom clinging to life after being savagely beaten and robbed of her e-bike on Randalls Island was left unconscious on the ground for nearly six hours before she was discovered by a passerby the next morning, the Daily News has learned.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
The bottom line: the Dolphins’ starting cornerback position is up for grabs.—
C. Isaiah Smalls II,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
-
Another coveted timepiece up for grabs is a Ref. 2524, of which fewer than 50 examples were made.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Morot cradles the head, still that boy dreaming of Fangoria covers.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
-
Made from memory foam, this pillow will cradle your neck and head, giving you a comfortable place to rest your head at the end of a long day.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hug. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share