hug

\ ˈhəg

hugged; hugging; hugs

Definition of hug

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a 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 child— John Buchan

hug

noun

plural hugs

Definition of hug (Entry 2 of 2)

: 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

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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 The pants hug the body just right with the perfect amount of stretch and a slight flare. — Madeline Fass, Vogue, "Feels Like a Steal: The Minimalist Ribbed Knit Pants You’ll Want to Live in," 15 Jan. 2021 Watching families not being able to hug their family members, that's sad. — Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, "Inside Beaumont's COVID-19 units, nurses fear people 'just don't care'," 28 Dec. 2020 For all the elderly in nursing homes who’ve been isolated and ache to touch and hug their children. — John Kass, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Tonight is the night of new hope for the world," 24 Dec. 2020 Kerry Osaki longs to see his grown children, without masks, and hug them. — Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, "Covid Thanksgiving altered, a bit somber," 27 Nov. 2020 Because most prefer to fly over land rather than open water, the spectacular array of raptors hug the western shore of Superior. — Kerri Westenberg, Star Tribune, "A parade of raptors at Duluth's Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve," 25 Sep. 2020 Guests should be encouraged to wash their hands with soap and water, and no one should hug or exchange handshakes. — Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, "C.D.C. Pleads With Americans to Stay Home on Thanksgiving," 19 Nov. 2020 But tell that to the brides who lost their weddings because of the pandemic, grand kids who can’t hug their grandparents, and all the family members who couldn’t be in the hospital when somebody died. — Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press, "Now that I've stopped taking edibles, Detroit Lions' reality comes into focus," 30 Oct. 2020 Just hug it into your chest and put it under the bottom of the stock. — John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, "Shooting Sticks Can Help You Get a Shot on Game When Nothing Else Will," 28 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hug.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.