- present participle of sober.
sobering
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sobering
Explanation
Something that's sobering is serious, and even a little bit worrying. It's sobering to learn that someone you love is very ill. You can use the adjective sobering when you talk about news that feels heavy and important. Environmental studies about climate change are sobering, and statistics about the number of stray dogs and cats in the country are sobering too. Things that are sobering make you feel sober, or serious and solemn. The Latin root, sobrius, means "not intoxicated," which is also the original definition of sober.
Vocabulary lists containing sobering
Song of Solomon
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You Call This Democracy?
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I Must Betray You
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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.
Apollo’s latest research provides an even more sobering picture.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
His discussion of dying in an unprotected Air Force One and taking reporters with him, and his constant acknowledgement of threats against his life, are sobering and concerning.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
The sight of Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Tonali all leaving the club in the space of less than a year is sobering.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
But the outside help also highlighted a sobering reality: The government’s inability to deal with the tragedy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
The 586th, whose Yak fighters were stationed in western Ukraine until September 1944, had a creepy and sobering experience between defensive flights during the hot summer.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
