bear hugnoun [ C ]
uk/ˈbeə ˌhʌɡ/us/ˈber ˌhʌɡ/the action of putting your arms around someone very tightly and quite roughly
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Showing affection
- affectionate
- canoodle
- caress
- chuck
- chuck sb under the chin idiom
- clinch
- cuddly
- demonstrative
- embrace
- fall into sb's arms idiom
- fondle
- gather
- hold
- hug
- kiss
- mwah
- nurse
- nuzzle
- peck
- touchy-feely
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Examples from literature
- He clapped his arms around me at once and gave me a bear hug.
- He put his long arms around her waist and gave her a good bear hug.
- She picked Teddy up and gave him a great bear hug.
- Tom greeted him with a bear hug.
- You know we care to go, laughed Mary Jane and she jumped up and gave him a big bear hug.