bear hug: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal for the physical embrace; Business/Finance for the figurative use.
Quick answer
What does “bear hug” mean?
A strong, tight embrace, typically with the arms wrapped completely around someone.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A strong, tight embrace, typically with the arms wrapped completely around someone.
In business or finance, an offer to purchase a company at a price so high and with terms so generous that the management or shareholders feel compelled to accept it, even if they initially resisted.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The business/finance term is used internationally.
Connotations
The connotations are identical: the literal sense is affectionate but powerful; the financial sense is aggressive but beneficial to the target.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties for both literal and figurative uses.
Grammar
How to Use “bear hug” in a Sentence
give [someone] a bear hugget a bear hug from [someone]the [company] received a bear hug offerVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bear hug” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He bear-hugged his brother after not seeing him for years.
American English
- The linebacker bear-hugged the runner, stopping him instantly.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The small tech startup was saved by a bear hug offer from a major conglomerate.
Academic
Rarely used in academic writing, except perhaps in economics papers discussing M&A tactics.
Everyday
My dad gives the best bear hugs when I'm feeling down.
Technical
In corporate finance, a bear hug is a takeover tactic designed to pressure the board into negotiations.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bear hug”
- Using 'bear hug' to describe a weak or casual hug (incorrect).
- Confusing 'bear hug' with 'bear market' in finance (unrelated).
- Spelling as 'bare hug' (incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Literally, it is a strong but friendly embrace. In business, it is a friendly-looking but aggressive tactical move.
Yes, the hyphenated form 'bear-hug' is a verb meaning to embrace someone very tightly.
A bear hug is a specific type of hug that is notably strong, tight, and often involves wrapping both arms fully around the person.
It's a metaphorical extension from the 1980s, comparing the overwhelming offer to the smothering but powerful embrace of a bear.
A strong, tight embrace, typically with the arms wrapped completely around someone.
Bear hug is usually informal for the physical embrace; business/finance for the figurative use. in register.
Bear hug: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbeə ˈhʌɡ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌber ˈhəɡ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BEAR (a large, strong animal) giving a HUG. The image captures the overwhelming strength and enveloping nature of the action.
Conceptual Metaphor
AFFECTION IS PHYSICAL WARMTH/CLOSENESS; A BUSINESS TAKEOVER IS PHYSICAL CAPTURE/WRESTLING.
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, what is a 'bear hug'?