To sob means to cry with sudden, sharp breaths that shake your chest and shoulders. When someone sobs, they breathe in quick, jerky gasps between bursts of crying. You might sob when you're deeply sad, scared, or overwhelmed, like after getting terrible news or experiencing something frightening.

The physical act of sobbing happens when strong emotion makes you gulp air while crying. Picture someone at a funeral, shoulders shaking as they struggle to catch their breath between tears. A child who's lost and frightened might sob uncontrollably until a parent or trusted adult finds them.

Sob can also be used as a noun: “She let out a sob” or “His sobs gradually quieted down.” People sometimes describe heartbreaking things as sob stories, meaning tales meant to make you cry or feel extremely sympathetic.

Sobbing differs from other forms of crying. You might shed a few tears during a touching movie, but you sob when emotions hit hard enough to affect your breathing. The word captures that moment when sadness or fear becomes so intense that your whole body participates in crying.