Bear hug
Bear hug noun - A wrestling hold with arms locked tightly around the opponent.
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Synonyms for Bear hug
Handshake
Handshake noun - Grasping and shaking a person's hand (as to acknowledge an introduction or to agree on a contract).
Bear hug and handshake are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Bear hug" instead a noun "Handshake".
Nearby Words: handshaker, handshaking
Mutual synonyms
Both terms in one sentence
- Affectionate Pickpocket: Bull uses a classic handshake lift to steal Clyde Rutledge's watch before giving the man a bear hug as an additional distraction.
Source: Series / Bull
Cite this Source
Handshake and Bear hug. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 01, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/bear_hug/handshake
Bear hug & Handshake. N.p., 2016. Web. 01 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/bear_hug/handshake>.
Handshake or Bear hug. 2016. Accessed August 01, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/bear_hug/handshake.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "bear hug" and "handshake" have occurred on timeline