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# sobbing

noun (sobbing — uncountable); verb form (sob, sobs, sobbed, sobbing); adjective (sobbing child)

«sobbing» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Sobbing is crying loudly with short, noisy breaths, because you are very sad or upset. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#m1)
2. To be sobbing is to cry in this way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#m2)

### In the lessons

In stories, sobbing shows deep sadness, like after a pet dies or a child is lost; it tells the reader the feeling is strong. In everyday life, adults comfort a sobbing child with a hug. Phrases: "burst into sobbing", "sobbing uncontrollably", "sob your heart out", "a sob story".

### Examples

- We heard sobbing from the bedroom. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#x1)
- The little girl was sobbing because she had lost her mum in the shop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#x2)
- He sobbed when his dog passed away. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#x3)
- The sobbing stopped when Grandma gave her a hug. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#x4)
- I sobbed my heart out at the end of the film. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#x5)
- (informal) Don't give me that sob story — you just forgot your homework! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#x6)
- “But is it really so?” asked the Marionette, sobbing bitterly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/#x7)

### Note

Verb: sob, sobbed, sobbing (double b). "Sobbing" is stronger and noisier than "crying"; "weeping" is quieter and more formal; "whimpering" is small, weak cries. A "sob story" (informal) is a sad tale told to get sympathy.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «sobbing» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sobbing/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«sobbing» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sobbing.html) on Mova free.