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
Related Words
See grave 2.
Other Word Forms
- nonsober adjective
- nonsoberly adverb
- nonsoberness noun
- quasi-sober adjective
- quasi-soberly adverb
- sobering adjective
- soberingly adverb
- soberly adverb
- soberness noun
- unsober adjective
- unsobered adjective
- unsoberly adverb
- unsoberness noun
Etymology
Origin of sober
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English sobre, from Old French, from Latin sōbrius
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.
But some limits, especially of what’s acceptable, exist for good, sober reasons.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
How does this balance out in terms of how to approach the court in a clear-eyed and sober way but also a way that doesn’t suggest “This is utterly useless, burn it all down”?
From Slate • Mar. 4, 2026
Asked what message he had for Europe, Wright said: "We just need to be serious and sober about energy. Energy makes people's lives better."
From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026
She’s been sober 17 years and her relationship with Gardner, who came out as gay in 2006 — also in People magazine — has lasted longer than her marriage.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2026
The shared vision expressed in their drawings struck him as being too sober and monumental.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
