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
“And that grind up in the market has shifted to a grind sideways and now a grind down given sober economic data, macro indicators, and the Iran war disruption,” he added.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 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
Mr. Turley’s account of the American and French revolutions reminds us that ours was also a revolution of sober institutions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
Her sober after-dinner séance was a great success.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
