HUG Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

hug 1 of 2

verb

ˈhəg

Definition of hug

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

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

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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

Multiple parents recounted a Christmas photo-op in which an ICE agent dressed as Santa Claus shoved away children who tried to hug him, then vanished with his treats the moment the cameras disappeared. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 This was promptly followed by rapidly moving ground-hugging clouds of blistering hot gas and rock fragments, a phenomenon called pyroclastic flow. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026

Noun

This includes intimate physical contact with your partner, such as a 20-second hug or a six-second kiss. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026 In another clip, he was pictured giving his girlfriend a hug backstage. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hug

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hug

Verb

Jolly, who’s been campaigning against divisiveness in politics, issued a statement congratulating Avila shortly after Tuesday’s announcement.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
In the letter, written after Eminem was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Parton congratulated the artist on the honor and praised his performance that night.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 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

But the competition for the Golden Lion and the festival’s other awards is only the start of Venice’s wide-ranging embrace of the art of cinema in its many manifestations.

— David Bloom, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Advertisement Wang can only hope that this tentative embrace of collaboration sticks.

— Charlie Campbell, Time, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of embrace

Verb

At the landing zone, with bullets whipping and cracking around them, Capers—barely clinging to consciousness—refused to board the helicopter until every last man, and his dog’s body, was aboard.

— Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Any empty feeling at Empty Sky Caution tape clings to a fence outside the memorial, which honors the 749 New Jersey residents killed on 9/11.

— Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of cling

Noun

In a game that Dallas led wire-to-wire, the picture has cleared on which roster positions remain up for grabs going into the preseason’s final week.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2026
Sheppard made a sensational, 2-yard touchdown grab in the left corner of the endzone.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 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

Style

“Hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hug. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of hug

verb

noun

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