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
Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Made from a soft and stretchy cotton blend, the pair hugs in all the right places and works wonders in the butt-lifting department.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026
Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 23 Feb. 2026
The hitter greeted the pitcher with a hug on the spring training backfields.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hug
Verb
Andrea wants somebody to hug her hard, to squeeze her until every bone in her skeleton cracks.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Made from a soft and stretchy cotton blend, the pair hugs in all the right places and works wonders in the butt-lifting department.
—Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
The mother and daughter, both in tears, exchanged a quick hug before Estrada Juarez was taken away.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 23 Feb. 2026
The hitter greeted the pitcher with a hug on the spring training backfields.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hug
Verb
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Fraternity members congratulated each winner and posed for group photos with their full carts.—
Eva Remijan-Toba,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
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Trump made the comment during a locker-room call congratulating the men’s team on their 2-1 overtime victory over Canada.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Yet observers quickly noticed that Altman and Amodei, whose companies are widely viewed as competitors in the race to build advanced AI models, did not clasp hands.—
The AI Insider,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
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As the final seconds ticked down, Bishop’s senior Lotte Lightner clasped the hand of a teammate on the bench and then bounced up to cheer.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The warm greeting underscored how much closer Israel-India relations have grown under Modi, whose embrace of Israel has marked a shift in India’s foreign policy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
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That relentless embrace of beauty has kept discerning buyers coming back for more.—
Basem Wasef,
Robb Report,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Scratches above the dead body reach upward, marks that read as feeble attempts to cling to some semblance of life.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
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His return comes at an opportune time, with the Panthers clinging to fading hopes of reaching the Stanley Cup playoffs to try to win a third consecutive title and with injuries still hampering the team.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Search tools and bulk data sets are up for grabs and can be used to target any online account.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Feb. 2026
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Toilets are fitted with side and rear grab bars.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cushion Valuables When Moving There's nothing better to cradle your breakable goods when moving or packing items for storage than a pillow.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
16 Jan. 2026
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All Fox could do was cradle Truman’s hand, stare straight ahead, summon a proud mournful dignity, and try to pretend that the people all around them did not exist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hug. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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