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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hug
Ema Sasic, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Bloom, 32, and Theroux announced the news alongside a black-and-white photo of the new dad hugging his son to his chest as the newborn appeared to take a nap.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Page Six posted photos of the 50-year-old NFL coach and Russini, the 43-year-old NFL reporter, sharing a hug and appear to be dancing at a Sedona hotel.
—Staff and Wire Reports, Boston Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hug
Verb
The headliner was dancing with her and hugging, which was cute to see, even if the vocals were iffy at best on that joint effort.
—Ema Sasic, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Bloom, 32, and Theroux announced the news alongside a black-and-white photo of the new dad hugging his son to his chest as the newborn appeared to take a nap.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
Noun
Now, Gomez shared a cute selfie with her and Lovato giving each other a hug.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Page Six posted photos of the 50-year-old NFL coach and Russini, the 43-year-old NFL reporter, sharing a hug and appear to be dancing at a Sedona hotel.
—Staff and Wire Reports, Boston Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hug
Verb
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Borissov conceded defeat and congratulated the election winner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
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The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Monday congratulated Radev on his election victory.—
Veselin Toshkov,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Huddled close in Orion, the four astronauts reached out to clasp hands as Glover finished speaking.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
6 Apr. 2026
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The oversized coat featured a single button along the collar, which Zendaya wore clasped over her cotton-poplin skirt, creating a voluminous silhouette with an airy effect.—
Staff Author,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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April 15 is a day of angst for Americans who procrastinate on filing their income taxes, but in baseball, this is a day to celebrate and embrace.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
16 Apr. 2026
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The Breadwinner costars Mandy Moore and Nate Bargatze embrace for their close-up at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 13.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For one more week, Michael Taaffe can cling to his fantasy.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
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The sharp, pungent scent of chile peppers clings to the air.—
Kamala Thiagarajan,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Has also fallen behind Sam Coffey in the pecking order for City, which isn’t ideal with the third England midfield spot still up for grabs.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Suárez also made a nice sliding grab on a Luke Keaschall ground ball in the seventh when the Twins (11-9) had a pair of runners on, popping quickly to his feet and throwing out a hustling Keaschall out to end the threat.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The defendant would cradle the victim with his arms.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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Handcrafted since 1852, these Swedish masterpieces are made with layers of natural horsehair, cotton, wool, and flax, designed to cradle your body while wicking away moisture and regulating temperature.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hug. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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