- 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.
It was a sobering rejection, and made me realize that finding an adviser isn’t like hiring a contractor who actively bids for your business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
That’s a sobering statistic for the Chargers, Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all winless so far.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
"The thought that all of these beautiful creatures and habitats could be compromised as superpowers slug it out for supremacy is sobering."
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
It was a sobering - and, for many in the sport, unsurprising - conclusion to the biggest night of Benn's life in boxing.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Only after Aaron was on his way across the Atlantic did George and Dick receive a sobering letter from Conibear.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
