to embrace

Examples

• All

• After a long day apart, he ran to embrace his partner with joy.

• When she returned from her trip, her family embraced her warmly at the airport.

• And we need a president who can embrace us, who can hold us, who can lift us up.

• And when they touch each other, they embrace, they wrap around each other.

  Rich Roll

• His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.

  Keeping Mum (2005)

• So this is moments right before my dad embraces me and my mom walks over.

• After so many days finally he smiled and embraced me.

  Francesco (1989)

• Unable to hold back the tears, he embraces him in a rush of love and emotion.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Then he reached across the desk, embraced me, and kissed me on the forehead.

  Fiction book (1991)

• Just as Cabrini had wrapped her arms around the forgotten immigrant, America now embraced her as one of its own.

  Cabrini (2024)

Synonyms

H

to hug

vsto embrace

336 1.0

To hold someone tightly in your arms to show care

is similar but can be slightly more formal or broad

C

to cuddle

vsto embrace

72 1.0

Holding someone close in your arms to show love or comfort

is slightly firmer and more clearly about tight holding

S

to squeeze

vsto embrace

72 1.0

To hold someone tightly in your arms to show affection

is gentler and focuses on arms rather than pressure

W

to wrap arms around

vsto embrace

38 2.8

To put your arms around someone or something to show love and protect them

is a shorter, single-word action rather than a phrase

C

to clasp

vsto embrace

33 2.6

To hold a person or thing tightly with your hands

focuses more on wrapping the whole body in arms

C

to clinch

vsto embrace

6 4.8

To hold someone tightly, for example in a fight or a hug

is used mainly for affection rather than competitive holds

C

to cuddle with

vsto embrace

5 2.3

To hold someone or a soft thing close to show love

is more static and emphasizes a firm arm hold

B

to bosom

vsto embrace

• Literature

7.7

Hold someone tightly in your arms to give them comfort

is more neutral affection and less about protection

F

to fall on someone's neck

vsto embrace

7.2

Hug someone tightly because you feel very happy or relieved

is usually calmer and less emotionally dramatic

Antonyms

L

to let go

∞ 1.4

To stop holding something or someone so they are free

P

to push away

37 2.0

To move something away from you by pushing with your hands

Phrasal Verbs

E

to embrace change

3 3.8

To willingly accept and adapt to new situations

E

to embrace diversity

1 4.1

To accept and include people from different backgrounds

E

to embrace dweebness

• Slang

9.6

To accept and be proud of being nerdy or socially awkward

E

to embrace heritage

4.9

To accept and show pride in your culture

E

to embrace identity

4.4

To accept and feel proud of who you are and where you come from

E

to embrace manhood

7.7

To accept responsibility for being an adult man

E

to embrace positivity

4.1

To accept and actively choose a positive way of thinking

Compounds

M

marital embrace

4.9

A warm hug shared by two people who are married

W

warmth of someone's embrace

3.1

A feeling of comfort and safety when someone hugs you

How Tight

to squeeze

119 1.6

to hug

336 1.0

to embrace

142 2.8

to hold

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology