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:
After he grounded out in his final at-bat, Freeman enveloped him in an impromptu bear hug.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
I've posted it on social media and it shows me going over to give him a bear hug, but it is him who ends up lifting me off the ground.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 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
When he spots Lira, he rushes to give him a bear hug.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2025
Calder, in his excitement, gave Petra a quick bear hug.
From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett
“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
On a third and eight, Young used a quick swim move to duck tackle Isaiah Wynn and bear-hug Newton, who released the ball just before the hit.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 12, 2021
Prospects can once again bear-hug a fully vaccinated Commissioner Roger Goodell.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 28, 2021
The respect and affection in which he was held still obvious, the bear-hug greeting still as warm and friendly.
From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2020
The next minute, Billy rushed into view, and the two chums were reunited in a vigorous bear-hug of sheer, silent rejoicing.
From The Boy Scouts on Picket Duty by Robert Shaler
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
A rescuer descended from the helicopter — communicating directions with the pilot as he moved along the cliffside — and bear-hugged the woman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 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
In seconds, Ellenby had gently bear-hugged Hannah and slowly walked her into a back-row seat, where she sat on Ellenby’s lap and eventually rocked back and forth to the beat of the drummers onstage.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 3, 2022
She threw her arms around W.E. and bear-hugged him.
From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson
“What the company should be doing is focusing on bear-hugging their brand loyalists,” Siegel said.
From New York Times ● Feb. 1, 2023
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
I have seen pictures of the graduation day hung about his house, Kwang and his wife, May, smiling in the bright afternoon light, bear-hugging each other.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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