hug vs cuddle

hug and cuddle both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
hug	Yes	No	Yes	No
cuddle	Yes	No	Yes	No

As verbs, cuddle is a hyponym of hug; that is, cuddle is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than hug:

hug: hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness
cuddle: hold (a person or thing) close, as for affection, comfort, or warmth

Other hyponyms of hug include clinch, interlock, lock.

hug (noun)	cuddle (noun)
a tight or amorous embrace	a close and affectionate (and often prolonged) embrace

hug (verb)	cuddle (verb)
fit closely or tightly	move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position
hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness	hold (a person or thing) close, as for affection, comfort, or warmth