sobriety
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being sober rather than intoxicated.
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temperance or moderation, especially in the use of alcoholic beverages.
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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.
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seriousness, gravity, or solemnity.
Our farewell gathering for the six laid-off employees was an event marked by sobriety.
noun
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the state or quality of being sober
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the quality of refraining from excess
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the quality of being serious or sedate
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sobriety
1375–1425; late Middle English sobrietie (< Old French sobriete ) < Latin sōbrietās, equivalent to sōbri ( us ) sober + -etās, variant of -itās -ity after vowel stems
Explanation
Sobriety is the state of being sober, which can mean either not intoxicated or being solemn. If he takes a drink, an alcoholic ends a stretch of sobriety. You might note sobriety in the stands when your team is losing. When thinking about sobriety, think about the Puritans, and the way they kept the Sabbath. For them, even laughing on a Sunday was seen as an excessive display. Known for sobriety, they preferred a day marked by prayer and contemplation. It goes without saying that they frowned upon the consumption of any form of alcohol––favoring sobriety of both kinds.
Vocabulary lists containing sobriety
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
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Theodore Roosevelt on "The Man with the Muck Rake" (1906)
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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.
Sobriety is always one of the things I’m thankful for when I journal every morning.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2024
Sobriety is not just an annual New Year's challenge — we are in a shifting moment in alcohol consumption.
From Salon • Jan. 30, 2024
Sobriety, they have decided after two years of less socializing and nightcrawling, has its advantages.
From New York Times • Aug. 19, 2022
Sobriety ceased being something that was only be spoken about in hushed tones.
From Washington Post • Jul. 7, 2022
Some again are of Opinion, that Sobriety may indeed preserve a Man in Health, but does not prolong his Life.
From Medicina Flagellata Or, The Doctor Scarify'd by Anonymous
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.
