as in cries
to shed tears often while making meaningless sounds as a sign of pain or distress
the child sobbed when she found the dead frog
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sobs
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
The series ends as Eddie goes into Jamie's bedroom, sobs into the comforter and holds his teddy bear.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
Her mom, Andrea Swift, can be seen handing her a tissue as Swift hangs her head and sobs.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
Or when one of their sons, after rifling through Dad’s joke folder, quietly sobs at what he’s found.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
Advertisement One veteran, Matty Roberts visibly sobs.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 3 Nov. 2025
Darcey sobs as Georgi continues to defend himself for not easily opening up to others.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Dever threw the compliment right back at Pascal and Ramsey, for the scene when Ramsey’s Ellie sobs over Joel’s lifeless body.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2025
Verb
There are a few inarticulate screams and sobs but no dialogue, no lyrics, no spoken intro, no utterances at all.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
The series ends as Eddie goes into Jamie's bedroom, sobs into the comforter and holds his teddy bear.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
Her mom, Andrea Swift, can be seen handing her a tissue as Swift hangs her head and sobs.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
Or when one of their sons, after rifling through Dad’s joke folder, quietly sobs at what he’s found.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
Advertisement One veteran, Matty Roberts visibly sobs.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 3 Nov. 2025
Darcey sobs as Georgi continues to defend himself for not easily opening up to others.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Dever threw the compliment right back at Pascal and Ramsey, for the scene when Ramsey’s Ellie sobs over Joel’s lifeless body.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sobs
Verb
-
Taylor cries from inside her room.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
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Many first-time parents worry about how others might react if a baby cries on a flight, but experienced travelers say those concerns are often unnecessary, Kay said.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There were tears and hugs outside the Maxwell family home in Westbury after the identification was made.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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My mother’s tears were never about the loss of true love.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Swiss skier Melanie Meillard weeps in the arms of her teammate Janine Schmitt after missing a turn on her slalom run Women’s Team Combined Slalom.—
Staff Photographer,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Cannon weeps into an expansive white space that only she and Trish inhabit.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Exasperated groans followed from three of the four stands, and that pattern continued as Brighton players kept misplacing passes when forcing themselves into quick decisions.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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Back at the gathering, there were Martha’s groans and Gretchen’s anger, and there was Mike, clasping his chest—a heart attack?—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sobs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sobs. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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