sob story

American  

noun

1. an excessively sentimental human-interest story.

2. an alibi or excuse, especially one designed to arouse sympathy.

   Instead of a raise, the boss gave us another sob story about her expenses.

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sob story British  

noun

1. a tale of personal distress intended to arouse sympathy, esp one offered as an excuse or apology

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sob story Idioms  

1. A tale of personal hardship, true or invented, that is intended to arouse pity in the listener. For example, She always came up with some sob story to excuse her absences, but no one believed her. [Early 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of sob story

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

If he has a sob story about how he has to collect the car now, say no.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 10, 2025

The film diverts expectations at every turn, shirking the burdens of the sob story you might see in a typical gay homecoming film.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2025

"I kept my story a secret. I didn't want to tell anyone. I didn't want it to be a celebrity sob story," she said.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2023

There is one virtue in the Journal’s sob story.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2023

He thinks of knocking on someone’s front door and making up some sob story about being stranded but knows that he would never go through with it.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley