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Glite Dictionary
😭 A crying sound 😭 To cry hard
to sob

to sob

15 1.0
To cry with short, noisy breaths
  • verb
  • /sɑb/
translation icon : sollozar
  • After hearing the bad news, she began to sob loudly, unable to control her emotions.
  • began to sob
  • started to sob
  • sob uncontrollably

I was just like sobbing, tears streaming down my face.

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Examples

  • When I say I came undone, that's when I really let myself open up and sob and cry.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Someone had begun to sob uncontrollably inside the shelter.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • I started to sob because I was so upset, but my mother said it was going to be alright.

    Academic text (2013)

  • But I began to sob, for I knew that my thoughts were no longer my own.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • The girl began to shudder, then to sob openly, holding herself.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Karen began to sob as she saw the cordoned area around her home.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • At the moment she found it, she started sobbing and wouldn't talk to me.

  • Yerubai, covering his face with his hands, began to sob: "Oh, Lord, that our fathers' grave came between us!"

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Lucinnius begins to sob, at first quietly, then more loudly and more pathetically.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • I turned to greet my father—to sob on his shoulder and tell him the whole ugly story.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

to weep
vsto sob
208 1.1

To cry and let tears fall because you feel sad or have strong feelings

is noisier and involves sharp gasping breaths rather than quiet tearing
wail
vsto sob
54 3.2

A long loud cry that shows pain or deep sadness

is shorter and marked by sudden, sharp breathing rather than drawn-out sound
to bawl
vsto sob
39 5.9

Cry or shout loudly and without control

is loud too but specifically includes sudden gasping breaths as a feature
to burst into tears
vsto sob
24 2.4

To suddenly cry because of a strong feeling

is noisy and marked by sharp, gasping breaths rather than just sudden start
to blubber
vsto sob
  • Informal
14 6.1

To cry loudly and without control, often while talking

is similar but focuses on quick gasping breaths not continuous uncontrolled noise
to cry one's eyes out
vsto sob
  • Informal
7 4.2

Cry for a long time because you feel very sad

is usually shorter and characterized by sharp inhaling breaths rather than duration
to bawl one's eyes out
vsto sob
  • Informal
3 7.6

Cry very loudly and for a long time

is more about short, sharp breathy sounds than extended loud sorrow
to baw
vsto sob
  • UK
9.9

To cry loudly because you feel upset or hurt

is similar but specifically involves sudden, sharp inhaling breaths
to cry like a pissbaby
vsto sob
  • Offensive
9.9

To cry in a very childish way when upset

is a genuine noisy reaction with sharp breaths, not a derogatory judgment

Antonyms

to laugh
∞ 1.0

To make sounds and move your face or body because something is funny

to smile
∞ 1.0

To turn the corners of your mouth up to show happiness or friendliness

Compounds

sob story
  • Informal
16 4.9

A story often exaggerated that tries to make people feel sorry for personal problems

sob sister
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A journalist who writes emotional newspaper stories to make readers feel sorry

sob stuff
  • Archaic
8.5

Words or stories meant to make people feel pity by showing personal suffering

How Intense

to wail
84 3.2
to sob
15 1.0
to cry
∞ 1.0
to whimper
69 3.3
to sniffle
18 2.3

Surface Forms

sob infinitive
sobbed past
sobbed past participle
sobbing present participle
sobs third person singular

Etymology

The verb sob began as a word that copies the noise of crying, and a helpful way to remember it is that the word itself sounds like the action, so to sob is to 'cry' with short, noisy breaths.