hug

1 of 2

verb

hugged; hugging; hugs
1
a
transitive + intransitive : to press (someone) tightly in one's arms especially as a sign of affection
They hugged each other before saying goodbye.
We hugged briefly.
b
transitive : to hold (something) tightly with the arms
She hugged her knees to her chest.
c
transitive : to wrap one's arms around (oneself)
She was wearing only a wraparound denim skirt over her black bathing suit, and in the chill of approaching evening was hugging herself.John Updike
(figurative) Jerome looked puzzled, or pretended to. In reality he was hugging himself with delight.Lucy Maud Montgomery
2
transitive : to stay close to (something)
a road that hugs the river
a boat hugging the shore
clothes that hug your body's curves [=tight-fitting clothes]
3
transitive : to hold (something) fast : cherish
hugged his miseries like a sulky childJohn Buchan
huggable adjective
… whenever you get a chance at a reunion to hug someone who looks huggable, do it. Mike Deupree
hugger noun
plural huggers
Senior is restrained, the sort of man you lean close to, to hear. Junior is a hugger and kisser, buoyant, vibrant, colorful. Rick Reilly

hug

2 of 2

noun

plural hugs
: a close embrace with the arms especially as a sign of affection
She gave me a hug.
hugs and kisses
"He was very, very compassionate. Very loving. He always gave you a hug hello and a hug goodbye."The Salt Lake Tribune
Peggotty was not slow to respond, and ratify the treaty of friendship by giving me one of her best hugs.Charles Dickens

Examples of hug in a Sentence

Verb We hugged briefly, and then it was time to say goodbye. I hugged my knees to my chest. The road hugs the river. The boat hugged the shore.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Mark, on the other hand, doesn’t have any hugging options, being a bachelor who at one point takes a break from the play to attend the funeral of his last living relative in Amsterdam. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 The year prior, Lexi wished her mom a happy Mother's Day with an older picture of the pair hugging. Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 As Myers’ tribute video played, Green pantomimed a hugging motion while standing on the court. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 When the big reveal came later in the show, Thicke, who had guessed Hart, took a victory lap and hugged the funnyman while Cannon complained that the comedian was breaking the rules. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 7 Mar. 2024 Tang was also seen acknowledging and hugging multiple KU players in the handshake line For the Jayhawks, the win was particularly sweet. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 For decades, groups of relatives have hugged the owners when walking in the door and then sat at the same tables. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 Following his announcement, Kelce hugged his parents, his little bro Travis, and wife. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 4 Mar. 2024 Conservationists reclaimed the riverbank to create improbable oases, like Starlight Park, hugging the Sheridan Expressway near East 173rd Street. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
There were hugs, there were tears, there were epic game-winners that’ll live on in Colorado high school basketball lore. Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2024 The couple then walks through a large black curtain, but not before sneaking in another quick hug. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Mar. 2024 Once the game ended, Jason gave his little brother a hug and the two seemingly shared a few encouraging words with one another. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 The drawing, one of six works on paper on display, shows a seated woman embracing a child kneeling in front of her, arms wrapped around her ample waist in an enveloping hug. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The Ambani family joined her on stage for a photo and hugs after the last song. Thania Garcia, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024 These cantankerous Brooklyn Jews made harangues seem like hugs. Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Jessica Radloff Waddingham gives her budding designer daughter a hug before heading off to the awards. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2024 Explore Chance the Rapper John Legend See latest videos, charts and news There were wet eyes in the room as the 17-year-old brothers sprung the nostalgic number, on pitch, and with a solid hug at the end. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2024

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.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hugga to soothe

First Known Use

Verb

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1659, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hug was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near hug

Cite this Entry

“Hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hug. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hug

verb
hugged; hugging
1
: to press tightly especially in the arms : embrace
2
: to stay close to
drives along hugging the curb
hug noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hug

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