as in hugs
to put one's arms around and press tightly
elated team members bear-hugging everyone in sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bear-hugs
Verb
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The design hugs the ankle before relaxing into a gentle slouch through the leg.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Eagle-eyed fans recognized the image—in which Harry hugs his late mom—from his 2023 memoir, Spare.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lindo laughs, clasps his hands together and raises them.—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Keeping that hardshell closed is a pair of wide, beefy aluminum latches with a lower swing arm that clasps to a closure bar via a pair of hooks.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bear-hugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bear-hugs. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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