sobriety

[ suh-brahy-i-tee, soh- ]
See synonyms for sobriety on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the state or quality of being sober rather than intoxicated.

  2. temperance or moderation, especially in the use of alcoholic beverages.

  1. the condition of a person addicted to alcohol, or to some other mood-altering substance, who successfully abstains from its use and from other associated habits while addressing the root causes of dependency and adopting a new outlook on life: She’s turned herself around after entering a treatment center with staff who never gave up on her until she achieved sobriety.Even once you have attained sobriety, recovery is a lifelong process.: See also abstinence (def. 3).

  2. seriousness, gravity, or solemnity: Our farewell gathering for the six laid-off employees was an event marked by sobriety.

Origin of sobriety

1
1375–1425; late Middle English sobrietie (<Old French sobriete) <Latin sōbrietās, equivalent to sōbri(us) sober + -etās, variant of -itās-ity after vowel stems

Other words from sobriety

  • non·so·bri·e·ty, noun

Words Nearby sobriety

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sobriety in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sobriety

sobriety

/ (səʊˈbraɪətɪ) /


noun
  1. the state or quality of being sober

  2. the quality of refraining from excess

  1. the quality of being serious or sedate

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012