as in to hug
to put one's arms around and press tightly
elated team members bear-hugging everyone in sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of bear-hug
Gypsy also scored a nomination for Joy Woods, who plays the actual title role as Momma Rose’s daughter Louise, and for the bear-hug of a performer who is Danny Burstein, while Camille A. Brown’s choreography was recognized but George C. Wolfe’s direction wasn’t.
—
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 1 May 2025
Safdie had designed two pink granite 60-story massive towers, almost bear-hugging each other.
—Ed Wallace, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
Recommended Why Republicans blasted Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr. – and bear-hugged Kash Patel
That does not seem likely to overcome Mr. Trump’s preference for unilateral action over international engagement in remaking U.S. foreign policy.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Feb. 2025
But in his Instagram post yesterday, Zuckerberg bear-hugged the term, using it as a synonym for the entire practice of content moderation itself.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 8 Jan. 2025
Even as Apple is bear-hugging machine learning, the executives caution that the embrace is, in a sense, business as usual for them.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024
Addison extended beyond the Bears defense to snatch a 45-yarder while being bear-hugged in the first half.
—Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Less than an hour later, a mighty whoop erupted as Chapel sank the third ping-pong ball, and everyone rushed back to the table to yell, leap, chest-bump and bear-hug — a moment of euphoria worthy of a winning lottery ticket.
—Nancy Kruh, Peoplemag, 28 May 2024
Finally, as the judge said not guilty for the sixth time, Connor lowered his head, took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes and bear-hugged the public defenders who represented him.
—Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 8 May 2024
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 1 May 2025
Safdie had designed two pink granite 60-story massive towers, almost bear-hugging each other.
—Ed Wallace, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
Recommended Why Republicans blasted Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr. – and bear-hugged Kash Patel
That does not seem likely to overcome Mr. Trump’s preference for unilateral action over international engagement in remaking U.S. foreign policy.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Feb. 2025
But in his Instagram post yesterday, Zuckerberg bear-hugged the term, using it as a synonym for the entire practice of content moderation itself.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 8 Jan. 2025
Even as Apple is bear-hugging machine learning, the executives caution that the embrace is, in a sense, business as usual for them.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024
Addison extended beyond the Bears defense to snatch a 45-yarder while being bear-hugged in the first half.
—Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
Less than an hour later, a mighty whoop erupted as Chapel sank the third ping-pong ball, and everyone rushed back to the table to yell, leap, chest-bump and bear-hug — a moment of euphoria worthy of a winning lottery ticket.
—Nancy Kruh, Peoplemag, 28 May 2024
Finally, as the judge said not guilty for the sixth time, Connor lowered his head, took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes and bear-hugged the public defenders who represented him.
—Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 8 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear-hug
Verb
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They obviously didn't get hugged enough as children –either of them.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
6 June 2025
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Hand 103, Bethel, 102 ½. There was bedlam, Hand kids screaming and jumping and yelling and hugging each other.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2025
Verb
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The bronze monument depicts the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, clasping arms.—
Ken Makin,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 May 2025
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In France for the world premiere of Lee’s new film, Washington pointed his finger, spoke animatedly and clasped the arm of the photographer, who smiled his way through the exchange.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bear-hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear-hug. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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