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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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
Wilkinson saw her before the game and the two hugged each other. — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026 Seated in a wheelchair, he was quickly wheeled out of the courtroom after the sentencing, while some of his accusers hugged and brushed away tears. — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
The two exchanged a hug and Doyle then walked briskly to the elevator. — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Her mom smiled with happiness, and then the two shared a warm hug as Williams wiped tears from her eyes. — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 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
  • In between posts promoting her events, Campbell Ortiz frequently posted about her children, congratulating one daughter for graduating high school and wishing one son happy birthday and cheering on his basketball team.
    — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The veteran coach congratulated his team for the win and quickly pivoted to yelling about mental mistakes that kept Houston County in the game.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of congratulate
Verb
  • But if the awards season goes as the streamer plans, a journey that began in Cannes with a rapturous standing ovation, could end with Los Javis clasping some golden statues.
    — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Davis stood with his lawyer as the verdict was read, then sat with his hands clasped on the table.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of clasp
Noun
  • Through the administration’s embrace (and extensive personal leveraging) of crypto’s potential, crypto and retail speculation are increasingly being woven into the fabric of communicative and cultural spaces.
    — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • By October of 1945, The Nation’s embrace of world government as a practical solution for the problem of potentially life-effacing weapons had somewhat abated.
    — Richard Kreitner, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of embrace
Verb
  • The boomer’s reckoning Voeste grew up in Dortmund, the coal-and-steel city whose fate has long illustrated the dangers of clinging to an industrial past after its economics have changed.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Whether someone can survive in the water is also hard to predict, Leahy said, and depends on several factors, including the water temperature and whether the person is wearing a flotation device or is clinging to debris.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of cling
Noun
  • With only 39 days until the election, Democrats gathered Friday in Miami Beach to court Hispanic voters as polling suggests South Florida Latinos who voted Republican in recent years are up for grabs.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
  • And the question of how the country’s premier history museum should tell the nation’s story is suddenly up for grabs.
    — Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 24 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 2 Oct. 2026.

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