Thesaurus results for BEAR-HUG

bear-hug

verb

ˈber-ˌhəg

Definition of bear-hug

as in to hug

to put one's arms around and press tightly elated team members bear-hugging everyone in sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 bear-hug Mamdani’s refusal to bear-hug Israeli leadership, which until recently was de rigueur for both political parties, has transformed him into the embodiment of a bogeyman for some Jews who live above 60th Street. — Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 9 Jan. 2026 Williams celebrated by jumping onto the goal post padding and bear-hugging the upright, which earned him a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. — CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025 Aggies players were ecstatic with the triumph, high-fiving and bear-hugging each other and then shaking hands with fans young and old. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 15 Nov. 2025 Running back Isaac Guerendo returned to practice Tuesday and twice ran into the line only to be bear-hugged by Warner, who followed orders and did not tackle to the ground. — Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bear-hug

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear-hug

Verb

Many of those in attendance brought their own stories of mental health crises of their own or loved ones, with individuals in the crowd hugging and sharing with each other after the moment of silence Thursday.

— Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
The park hugs 118 winding miles of the Rio Grande, nearly a quarter of the international boundary patrolled by Customs and Border Protection in the much larger Big Bend Sector.

— Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of hug

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 clasp

Browse Nearby Words

bear fruit

bear-hug

bear-hugged

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bear-hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear-hug. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bear-hug

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cogent

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes