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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to clasp
to put one's arms around and press tightly
Grandma hugged the grandchildren good-bye
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Examples of hug in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2024
Gaga also hugged her fiance, Michael Polansky, twice during the celebration.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 4 Sep. 2024
Larissa Gao, NBC News, 3 Aug. 2024
So, stepping back into their shoes is always like… a little hug?
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hug 
Verb
Available in 26 colors and carried up to a size 3XL, this lined skirt is made with a stretchy spandex blend that hugs the waist and hips before flaring into a flirty A-line silhouette.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2024
Gaga also hugged her fiance, Michael Polansky, twice during the celebration.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 4 Sep. 2024
Noun
After giving someone a long hug, he was filmed wiping his eyes, which were stained red.
—Larissa Gao, NBC News, 3 Aug. 2024
So, stepping back into their shoes is always like… a little hug?
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hug
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hug.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hug. Accessed 10 Sep. 2024.
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