hugged

verb

past tense of hug
1
as in congratulated
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 clasped
to put one's arms around and press tightly Grandma hugged the grandchildren good-bye

Synonyms & Similar 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 hugged Her other son, Hudson, could be seen smiling as Brayden hugged him. — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 Mills was crowned the winner and the teammates hugged out their differences. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026 The audience broke into cheers during the impromptu duet and as the pair hugged before Sudeikis headed back into the crowd. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026 The funnyman and frontman, Marcus Mumford, hugged at the song’s end. — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 Lombard rounded the bases as his parents cheered and hugged in the stands. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026 The two stars hugged it out until Owens threw the first punch. — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Saldaña, shimmering in Cartier, mingled with costars and hugged fans and friends, giving Kidman an especially tight squeeze. — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 30 July 2026 Villagers hugged trees to save them from being cut and to promote sustainable use, regeneration, and protection of forest resources. — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hugged
  1. congratulated
  2. clasped
  3. clung
  4. grabbed
  5. embraced
Verb
  • National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson congratulated Singer in a statement.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The tulle design was covered in gold appliqués, and featured a voluminous skirt that created a soft silhouette as Swift congratulated the bride.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of congratulated
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 clasped
Verb
  • Ryder clung onto Nathaniel as waves repeatedly crashed over them.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • One man desperately clung to a light pole in Cambridge City as muddy, brown water swirled around him, before he was eventually rescued.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of clung
Verb
  • Village officials said the coyote grabbed a small dog from a yard in the Tangley Oaks subdivision.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Freeland grabbed at his back after delivering a pitch to Ben Rortvedt, who flied out on the play, and was removed after allowing four runs on six hits.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of grabbed
Verb
  • Republicans have embraced the normative aspects of gay rights.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Risto Siltanen, Reijo Ruotsalainen and Janne Niinimaa were brilliant and mistake-prone defenders from the nation who played in the NHL; all found their way to Edmonton and were embraced by a fanbase obsessed with offence.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of embraced

Browse Nearby Words

hugest
hugged
hugger-mugger
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Cite this Entry

“Hugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hugged. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hugged

Nglish: Translation of hugged for Spanish Speakers

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