bear hug
noun
a strong, tight embrace.
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bear hug
1 Americannoun
-
a strong, tight embrace.
My father gave me a big bear hug as soon as I stepped out of the taxi.
-
Wrestling. a hold in which one contestant locks both arms around the other in order to make the opponent fall to the mat.
bear-hug
2
American
[bair-huhg]
/ ˈbɛərˌhʌg /
verb (used with object)
bear-hugged,
bear-hugging
bear hug
British
noun
-
a wrestling hold in which the arms are locked tightly round an opponent's chest and arms
-
any similar tight embrace
-
commerce an approach to the board of one company by another to indicate that an offer is to be made for their shares
Etymology
Origin of bear hug1
First recorded in 1920–25
Origin of bear-hug2
First recorded in 1955–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Proctor nodded along as Coen spoke and enveloped his attorney, Tom Yu, in a bear hug after the ruling was finalized.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
Our critic praised the star for “his admirable ability to give audiences a big bear hug without leaving the stage.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026
Giant lineman JC Latham did not get the memo though as he gave Goodell a huge bear hug after being drafted by the Tennessee Titans.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2024
JuJu Watkins shared a bear hug with Tommy Trojan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2024
He spun around and he squealed with pleasure and picked her up in a bear hug and danced her around.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Defensive end Trey Hendrickson got around left tackle Dion Dawkins to bear-hug Allen, who unloaded the ball for an incomplete pass just before hitting the turf.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 25, 2023
“We literally had to bear-hug the hull” to get the parts in place, said Mersai’s classmate, Henry Peters.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2022
Prospects can once again bear-hug a fully vaccinated Commissioner Roger Goodell.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 28, 2021
The Victorian received a bear-hug from batting partner Shane Watson, who hit 67 runs in 41 balls on his return to the side after being dropped for the previous match against Afghanistan.
From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2015
Bettles paused long enough to put his arm in a proper bear-hug around Daylight's neck.
From Burning Daylight by London, Jack
Ohtani’s excitement for the game and his teammates—especially Yamamoto, whom he giddily bear-hugged in the celebration last night—does as much to lift the sport as his remarkable two-way talent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2025
No idiosyncrasy is too singular for him to wrestle into submission – and over three seasons of the Syfy series, he’s bear-hugged a lot of them.
From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2024
He was voted NBA MVP — that has Harden who bear-hugged Embiid when his name was called — and won his second straight league scoring title.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 29, 2023
She bear-hugged Padilla while the two did a happy dance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2023
He bear-hugged her and they both slumped to the street, laughing.
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
She runs from him, and he gives chase, bear-hugging her from behind, sobbing, apologizing, his nose running, until they kiss.
From Slate ● Mar. 5, 2019
The theft drew global attention after police released surveillance video last month showing a man reaching into an armored truck, then tottering away while bear-hugging the pot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 21, 2016
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was bear-hugging and chest-bumping his triumphant players as Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte was back in the dressing room contemplating a defeat about which he could have no complaints.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2016
A Rebel’s Cause: Fortifying the Fashion Flock HE was at the Frieze Art Fair in New York, bear-hugging Johan Lindeberg, yakking with a chef from Fat Radish and exchanging grins with gallerists.
From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2012
Two Step and Mapper solved that problem by running up and bear-hugging her before she could get a word out.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
