hug 1 of 2

verb

ˈhəg How to pronounce hug (audio)
Definition of hugnext
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

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

hug

2 of 2

noun

as in embrace

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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
Verb
At 78 inches long, the frame fits a twin size mattress that is hugged by a frame that works as a headboard. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026 Tolle, instead of simply tagging Canzone, hugged him for the out. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
Then, outside the Long Beach courtroom, Gonzalez and Bustillos’ mother shared a tearful hug. — Jacob Sisneros, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 In the distance, a toddler in a matching Nike outfit literally leaped into the arms of a crying woman, perhaps a grandmother, squeezing tightly for a hug. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hug
  1. congratulate
  2. clasp
  3. embrace
  4. cling
  5. grab
  6. cradle
Verb
  • Melvin and Dreyer took turns congratulating and embracing Ikeda shortly after the news broke.
    — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Djokovic sent a message congratulating Federer on his inevitable induction.
    — Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of congratulate
Verb
  • The new mothers clasped their babies close as a pack of teenagers ran through the park.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In 1975, as Cold War tensions thawed, an American commander and his Soviet counterpart clasped hands in space after their spacecraft docked.
    — Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026
Definition of clasp
Noun
  • He was released into the embrace of his family the day before Thanksgiving.
    — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Dearborn’s chokehold on the influencer network Chami, who is of Lebanese descent, believes that Dearborn's Arab American influence plays a role in the city's embrace of social media.
    — Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of embrace
Verb
  • Here was this fit, so daring and so specific, that clung to the curves of our legs like cellophane.
    — Jane Herman, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Gammer says the Williston Lake island seems to be intact and clinging to the shoreline—at least for now.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of cling
Noun
  • Still, if Curl doesn’t make a clutch diving grab as the ball nosedived toward the grass, that’s merely an incomplete pass that no one remembers.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Armstrong continued to bolster his case for NL MVP, drawing a four-pitch walk, scoring twice and making a leaping grab at the center-field wall to rob Miami’s Heriberto Hernández of a potential extra-base hit in the sixth.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • The device features flexible side wings that can fold inward to cradle the head and neck.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • While standard flip-flops are generally relatively flat, these are made with plenty of arch support, along with deep heel cups to cradle your feet for full-day comfort.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026
Definition of cradle

Browse Nearby Words

huffy
hug
huge
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Cite this Entry

“Hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hug. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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