1
as in congratulates
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clasps
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 hugs
Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
In the black-and-white photo, Zendaya is all smiles as Holland hugs her from behind.
—Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 16 June 2026
The Obama Presidential Center, which opens to the public on Friday, on Juneteenth, hugs the north end of Jackson Park, runs alongside a lagoon, rises 225 feet at its highest, and rolls backward down Stony Island Avenue, settling into 58,000 square feet of brilliantly green sloping lawn.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
This pair also features a stretchy knit upper that hugs your feet, plus a memory foam insole for cushioning.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
During a May 2026 appearance on Today, anchor Savannah Guthrie noted how Brunson hugs Hargitay after every game.
—Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
The sundeck hugs a 100-foot-long swimming pool, and there’s an indoor option in the spa for the cooler months.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 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, 30 May 2026
It’s made with a stretchy outer fabric and an inner layer of mesh along the waist and tummy, which smoothes your midsection and hugs your waist.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
Verb
There’s an eroding three-mile stretch of Highway 101 in California’s remote northwest corner that hugs fog-shrouded cliffs between the redwood forest and the Pacific Ocean.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
In the black-and-white photo, Zendaya is all smiles as Holland hugs her from behind.
—Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 16 June 2026
The Obama Presidential Center, which opens to the public on Friday, on Juneteenth, hugs the north end of Jackson Park, runs alongside a lagoon, rises 225 feet at its highest, and rolls backward down Stony Island Avenue, settling into 58,000 square feet of brilliantly green sloping lawn.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
This pair also features a stretchy knit upper that hugs your feet, plus a memory foam insole for cushioning.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
During a May 2026 appearance on Today, anchor Savannah Guthrie noted how Brunson hugs Hargitay after every game.
—Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
The sundeck hugs a 100-foot-long swimming pool, and there’s an indoor option in the spa for the cooler months.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 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, 30 May 2026
It’s made with a stretchy outer fabric and an inner layer of mesh along the waist and tummy, which smoothes your midsection and hugs your waist.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hugs
Verb
-
This logic would not have barred any of the Jim Crow voting devices that the Roberts Court frequently congratulates itself and the nation for overcoming.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
Trump congratulates the Swanson family.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
King clasps his head, ready to shield his eyes if need be.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
26 May 2026
-
Abner clasps Questelle’s face in her hands.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The mayor's office is up for grabs as Muriel Bowser is set to leave her position after serving three terms.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
-
The match became even more important after Spain, the heavy favorite to win Group H and a contender to win tournament, tied Cape Verde 0-0 in the earlier match, leaving the group lead up for grabs.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
When a roach walks through an area treated with boric acid, the dust clings to its body, later attacking its nervous system when ingested.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
4 June 2026
-
The species also clings to a handful of shrinking water sources along its namesake river in northern Mexico.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Not everyone embraces beaver rewilding, especially when — unlike the Ealing project — the animals are introduced illicitly, said George Holmes, a conservation professor at the University of Leeds.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
-
The latest album from John Dwyer and his fellow garage-psych explorers embraces a fluid, improvisatory approach rooted in sprawling jam sessions and infinitely unspooling grooves.—
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hugs. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
