Definition of hug
hugged
;hugging
transitive verb
1 : to press tightly especially in the arms
2a : congratulateb : to hold fast : cherish hugged his miseries like a sulky child — John Buchan
3 : to stay close to the road hugs the river
hug
nounhugger
nounExplore Merriam-Webster
Examples of hug in a Sentence
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 of hug from the Web
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Alpert would invite him inside to talk and eat, and on the third visit began hugging him goodbye, the warrant says.
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Wind Creek State Park hugs the shoreline of Lake Martin near Alexander City.
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But when Oliver brought up photographs of Oscar tucking into bed his pet worm, Slimey, and hugging Big Bird and Oscar puppeteer Caroll Spinney, the Muppet who lives in a garbage can conceded.
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Jeri Woods is accused shooting brothers Arreon Lackey, 18, and Antonio Lackey, 16, each once in the head, after they were forced to remove their clothes, kneel and hug each other nearly two years ago.
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Harris hugged and thanked the school staff who have supported her family.
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Students applauded, hugged and gave each other high-fives after receiving their medals for completing the course.
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His powerful car was a road-hugging automotive security blanket.
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Tacked to the nurse’s board next to his bed is a photo of his two children hugging him after a victory, and a bouquet of red and white flowers with checkered flags in the vase stands on a table nearby.
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.
Origin and Etymology of hug
perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hugga to soothe
First Known Use: 1567
HUG Defined for English Language Learners
hug
playDefinition of hug for English Language Learners
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: to put your arms around someone especially as a way of showing love or friendship
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: to hold (something) tightly with your arms
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: to stay close to (something)
HUG Defined for Kids
Learn More about hug
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See words that rhyme with hug Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hug Spanish Central: Translation of hug Nglish: Translation of hug for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of hug for Arabic speakers
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