A bear hug is a type of hug where the arms are wrapped around the other person in a tight embrace. The two crossword solutions for this term are 'CLENCH' and 'CLASP, ' both of which describe the action of tightly holding someone in a hug. CLENCH is a 6-letter word meaning to hold something tightly with one's hand or to grip something firmly, while CLASP is a 5-letter word meaning to hold something tightly in one's arms or hands.