1
as in congratulating
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 clasping
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 hugging
When the Rockets called a time out, the Lakers bench all ran over to Doncic, hugging him, slapping him and James nudging him for a job very well done.
—
Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
The mother of four stunned, wearing a long-sleeved, figure-hugging metallic dress to walk the red carpet at the Oscars after-party.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
That's the case with Italy's Tropea Beach, which sits in the southern part of the country's Calabria region more than 200 miles south of Naples with a coastline hugging the pristine Tyrrhenian Sea.
—Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
The reality television star, 28, arrived on the Academy Awards Red Carpet March 15 in a body-hugging bombshell-vibes gown from designer Daniel Roseberry of Maison Schiaparelli.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Part of being a koala parent is being in close proximity to one another and frequently holding your child, hugging them, or cuddling with them.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
The Ralph & Russo couture creation featured a strapless neckline, low back, side cutouts, a figure-hugging silhouette, and a floor-grazing skirt.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Try small acts like hugging your partner or child.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
Purple Pixie® Loropetalum maintains its ground-hugging stature without pruning.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
The mother of four stunned, wearing a long-sleeved, figure-hugging metallic dress to walk the red carpet at the Oscars after-party.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
That's the case with Italy's Tropea Beach, which sits in the southern part of the country's Calabria region more than 200 miles south of Naples with a coastline hugging the pristine Tyrrhenian Sea.
—Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
The reality television star, 28, arrived on the Academy Awards Red Carpet March 15 in a body-hugging bombshell-vibes gown from designer Daniel Roseberry of Maison Schiaparelli.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Part of being a koala parent is being in close proximity to one another and frequently holding your child, hugging them, or cuddling with them.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
The Ralph & Russo couture creation featured a strapless neckline, low back, side cutouts, a figure-hugging silhouette, and a floor-grazing skirt.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Try small acts like hugging your partner or child.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
Purple Pixie® Loropetalum maintains its ground-hugging stature without pruning.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hugging
Verb
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Along with Thursday's rally, the Bay Area is also celebrating Liu's Olympic success with a billboard congratulating her, according to San Francisco ABC station KGO-TV.—
Katie Kindelan,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
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Sun brought with her a reply letter from Xi Jinping congratulating the Greek scholars on the center’s opening.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Others showed baby Spero clasping his tiny hand around Graham's finger and slumbering with a smile on his face.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
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Back at the gathering, there were Martha’s groans and Gretchen’s anger, and there was Mike, clasping his chest—a heart attack?—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Resting on a shelf and clinging to it with its paw, the possum stared ahead cautiously.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
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In 1992, the summer before Esa-Pekka Salonen became music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he and the orchestra were invited to shake up clinging Austrian tradition.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Mark was fouled after grabbing the ensuing loose ball and made both free throws to ice the game, 77-71.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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The video, filmed by Mortensen, appears to show Paul hitting, grabbing and throwing three barstools at him.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Second, leaders should treat authenticity as something to carefully manage rather than simply embracing or avoiding it.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
21 Mar. 2026
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Katie Couric is embracing the joys of aging and being a grandmother.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hugging. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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