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
Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
We are mostly meant to feel the movie, to allow our souls to be prodded and hugged tightly by this benevolent picture’s generous assessment of the most dangerous animal to ever exist on the planet.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Eating it feels like a warm hug from the Barefoot Contessa herself.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hug
Verb
The post features the couple standing under a floral canopy and ends with them hugging one another.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
We are mostly meant to feel the movie, to allow our souls to be prodded and hugged tightly by this benevolent picture’s generous assessment of the most dangerous animal to ever exist on the planet.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Madeline gave her mom a big hug before opening the box.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Eating it feels like a warm hug from the Barefoot Contessa herself.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hug
Verb
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Backstage, Finn Balor congratulated Punk and thanked him for giving him his flowers last week.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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The idea that Henie actually had a romantic relationship with Hitler is widely disputed; the ice princess and the dictator did, however, reportedly go to lunch after Hitler congratulated her rinkside on winning her third Olympic title.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Grejo snapped his fingers for the cigarettes to be passed and lit one, but after a single long drag, Adi noticed, never smoked it again, instead clasping it between his fingers like a personal incense stick.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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When Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced him, Combs had his head lowered, with his shoulders hunched and his hands clasped.—
Sarah Jones,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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O’Hara launched her extraordinary career as one of the ensemble members of the star-making cast of SCTV before gaining acclaim in such films as Beetlejuice, Home Alone, A Mighty Wind and, in a full-circle embrace of her TV roots that earned her an Emmy Award, Schitt’s Creek.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
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In that time braids have adapted to be many things—evidence of tribal affiliation and a map to communicate the journey to freedom, and, more recently, an embrace of Blackness and a ready-to-wear protective style.—
Ambreia Meadows-Fernandez,
Parents,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Most notably, the Sabres held on when the ice was tilted in their direction clinging to a one-goal lead in the third period.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Wendell Cruz / Imagn Images The Buffalo Sabres were clinging to a 3-2 lead with just over five minutes to play against the New York Rangers when Peyton Krebs took a careless high-sticking penalty.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The deal is regarded as significant as Iglesias’ comedy catalogue was one of the most high-profile still up for grabs on the marketplace.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
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Wilson recorded 61 catches and a team-high six scores in 2023 as a true freshman, but managed just 19 grabs and one score after a hip injury ended his 2024 season.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Jan. 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 1 Feb. 2026.
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