sober

[soh-ber]

adjective

soberer, soberest 

1. not intoxicated or drunk.

2. habitually temperate, especially in the use of liquor.

   Synonyms: abstemious, abstinent

3. quiet or sedate in demeanor, as persons.

4. marked by seriousness, gravity, solemnity, etc., as of demeanor, speech, etc..

   a sober occasion.

   Synonyms: staid, subdued, sedate, quiet, serious
   Antonyms: gay

5. subdued in tone, as color; not colorful or showy, as clothes.

   Synonyms: dull, somber

6. free from excess, extravagance, or exaggeration.

   sober facts.

7. showing self-control.

   sober restraint.

   Synonyms: collected, composed

8. sane or rational.

   a sober solution to the problem.

   Synonyms: sound, reasonable

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become sober: (often followed byup ).

sober

/ ˈsəʊbə /

adjective

1. not drunk

2. not given to excessive indulgence in drink or any other activity

3. sedate and rational

   a sober attitude to a problem

4. (of colours) plain and dull or subdued

5. free from exaggeration or speculation

   he told us the sober truth

verb

1. (usually foll by up) to make or become less intoxicated, reckless, etc

Other Word Forms

• soberly adverb
• soberness noun
• nonsober adjective
• nonsoberly adverb
• nonsoberness noun
• quasi-sober adjective
• quasi-soberly adverb
• unsober adjective
• unsoberly adverb
• unsoberness noun
• unsobered adjective
• sobering adjective
• soberingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of sober¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English sobre, from Old French, from Latin sōbrius

Word History and Origins

Origin of sober¹

C14 sobre, from Old French, from Latin sōbrius

Synonym Study

See grave ².

Example Sentences

And, in 2023, another sobering independent review determined there was “near zero probability” of Mars Sample Return making its proposed 2028 launch date, and “no credible” way to fulfill the mission within its budget.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Anthropic’s problem might be that it’s the sober one at the AI rager.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Most of our folks are working - once they're sober, they show up to work on time every day."

Read more on BBC

The club gave him a schedule first and a future second, and now with the support of the club, he’s been clean and sober for more than two years.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The second season concluded with Zendaya's character Rue getting sober, but with several storylines unresolved.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• dark 
• disciplined 
• dispassionate 
• down-to-earth 
• earnest 
• levelheaded 
• low-key 
• lucid 
• no-nonsense 
• practical 
• quiet 
• rational 
• realistic 
• reasonable 
• restrained 
• sedate 
• serene 
• serious 
• solemn 
• somber