sober
Americanadjective
-
not intoxicated or drunk.
-
habitually temperate, especially in the use of liquor.
- Synonyms:
- abstemious, abstinent
-
quiet or sedate in demeanor, as persons.
-
marked by seriousness, gravity, solemnity, etc., as of demeanor, speech, etc..
a sober occasion.
- Antonyms:
- gay
-
subdued in tone, as color; not colorful or showy, as clothes.
-
free from excess, extravagance, or exaggeration.
sober facts.
-
showing self-control.
sober restraint.
-
sane or rational.
a sober solution to the problem.
- Synonyms:
- sound, reasonable
verb (used with or without object)
adjective
-
not drunk
-
not given to excessive indulgence in drink or any other activity
-
sedate and rational
a sober attitude to a problem
-
(of colours) plain and dull or subdued
-
free from exaggeration or speculation
he told us the sober truth
verb
Synonym Usage
See grave 2.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonsoberlyadverb
-
nonsoberadjective
-
soberingadjective
-
quasi-soberlyadverb
-
nonsobernessnoun
-
soberinglyadverb
-
quasi-soberadjective
-
unsoberedadjective
-
unsoberadjective
-
soberlyadverb
-
unsobernessnoun
-
sobernessnoun
-
unsoberlyadverb
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have soberedperfect
-
has soberedperfect 3rd person singular
-
are soberingprogressive
-
soberssingular 3rd person
-
is soberingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
am soberingprogressive 1st person singular
-
soberingparticiple
-
has been soberingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
have been soberingperfect progressive
Past
-
had soberedperfect
-
were soberingprogressive plural
-
was soberingprogressive singular
-
soberedparticiple
-
soberedsimple
-
had been soberingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sober
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English sobre, from Old French, from Latin sōbrius
Explanation
This adjective means the opposite of playful or drunk. When attending a funeral, you are expected to be sober in both senses. The most common meaning of sober is "not drunk" — people who drive need to be sober. Sober sounds a lot like somber, and it often means sad and quiet too, or sometimes too serious. Another meaning is to be logical or realistic about something. Sometimes sober means drab: a grey station wagon is a more sober vehicle than a hot red convertible. All of these meanings are quiet and restrained — unlike a person who has had a lot to drink.
Vocabulary lists containing sober
A Raisin in the Sun
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Things They Carried
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They also wanted to know if there would be an area for sober living, he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Having a good experience when you're sober depends a lot on your mindset.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
The CEO of one of the world’s largest airlines thinks it’s time to sober up.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
“Anytime you see parabolic moves or linear vertical moves, that’s telling you that it’s less about a sober assessment of a company’s prospects on a straight valuation basis than it is about people chasing momentum.”
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
He’s dressed in his uniform, sober black with the rows of insignia and decorations.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
