bear-hug

1 of 2

verb

bear-hugged; bear-hugging; bear-hugs

transitive verb

: to embrace in a bear hug

bear hug

2 of 2

noun

: a rough tight embrace

Examples of bear-hug in a Sentence

Verb elated team members bear-hugging everyone in sight Noun He gave his brother a bear hug.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
But in his Instagram post yesterday, Zuckerberg bear-hugged the term, using it as a synonym for the entire practice of content moderation itself. Steven Levy, WIRED, 8 Jan. 2025 Even as Apple is bear-hugging machine learning, the executives caution that the embrace is, in a sense, business as usual for them. Steven Levy, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
Arriving at the Netflix Spago after-party, the grinning Saldaña was clutching her golden statue as her handlers surrounded her in a triumphant bear hug. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2025 Characters take the time to give kids big ol’ bear hugs. Deanne Revel, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bear-hug 

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1907, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bear-hug was in 1837

Dictionary Entries Near bear-hug

Cite this Entry

“Bear-hug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bear-hug. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

bear hug

noun
: a rough tight hug
bear-hug verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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