hug
Americanverb (used with object)
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to clasp tightly in the arms, especially with affection; embrace.
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to cling firmly or fondly to; cherish.
to hug an opinion.
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to keep close to, as in sailing, walking, or in moving along or alongside of.
to hug the shore;
to hug the road.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
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(also intr) to clasp (another person or thing) tightly or (of two people) to cling close together; embrace
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to keep close to a shore, kerb, etc
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to cling to (beliefs, etc); cherish
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to congratulate (oneself); be delighted with (oneself)
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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hugsimple
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hugssimple
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have huggedperfect
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has huggedperfect
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am huggingprogressive
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are huggingprogressive
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is huggingprogressive
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have been huggingperfect progressive
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has been huggingperfect progressive
Past
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huggedsimple
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had huggedperfect
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was huggingprogressive
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were huggingprogressive
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had been huggingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hug
First recorded in 1560–70; perhaps from Old Norse hugga “to soothe, console”; akin to Old English hogian “to care for”
Explanation
To hug someone is to warmly embrace or grasp them with your arms. Some families hug each other all the time, while others save their hugs for special occasions. Celebrate National Hug Your Cat Day if you want to, but your cat may be less enthusiastic about it than you are. Hug is both a verb and a noun: when you hug your cat, she gets a hug. You can also hug your knees, holding them close to your body, and your skinny jeans can be said to hug your legs, or fit tightly. Hug probably comes from the Old Norse hugga, "to comfort."
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.
“I’m not ready to buy the dip right now. Hug your benchmark, is what I’d recommend.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
"It gives citizens and consumers yet another reason to not go out and buy a product that's too expensive," said Thibaud Hug de Larauze, co-founder of refurbished tech marketplace Back Market.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
Hug my kids — I would say kiss my kids, but I don’t know if my daughter will still let me kiss her — and then I’ll go to bed.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 15, 2025
All four reigning Olympic and Paralympic marathon champions will be present, with Swiss athletes Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner contesting the elite wheelchair events.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2025
When she pulled away and gripped my shoulders, I said, “Um ... aren’t you supposed to not do that anymore? Hug boys, I mean?”
From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan
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.
