sober

[ soh-ber ]

/ ˈsoʊ bər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sober ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, so·ber·er, so·ber·est.

not intoxicated or drunk.

habitually temperate, especially in the use of liquor.

quiet or sedate in demeanor, as persons.

marked by seriousness, gravity, solemnity, etc., as of demeanor, speech, etc.: a sober occasion.

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.

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become sober: (often followed by up).

Words nearby sober

sob sister, sob story, sob stuff, soba, sobeit, sober, sober as a judge, sober-headed, sober-minded, soberize, sobers

Origin of sober

1300–50; Middle English sobre < Old French < Latin sōbrius

SYNONYMS FOR sober

2 abstinent, abstemious.

4 serious, quiet, sedate, subdued, staid. See grave².

5 somber, dull.

7 composed, collected.

8 reasonable, sound.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sober ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR sober

4 gay.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR sober ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM sober

so·ber·ing·ly, adverbso·ber·ly, adverbso·ber·ness, nounnon·so·ber, adjective

non·so·ber·ly, adverbnon·so·ber·ness, nounnon·so·ber·ing, adjectivequa·si-so·ber, adjectivequa·si-so·ber·ly, adverbun·so·ber, adjectiveun·so·ber·ly, adverbun·so·ber·ness, nounun·so·bered, adjectiveun·so·ber·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sobering

For these people the disaster over the Mojave Desert is a sobering wake-up call.
Virgin Galactic’s Flight Path to Disaster: A Clash of High Risk and Hyperbole|Clive Irving|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What Webb offers is a sobering, moralistic way of looking at the world.
Wait a Minute, Clinton Coronators—Here Comes Jim Webb|Eleanor Clift|September 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A sobering CollegeHumor video reflects on the social consequences of every single activity in your daily life.
The Awful Apps That Let You Vote With Your Wallet|Tim Mak|August 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is sobering and extremely disappointing to find that heroes of past generations played it so close to the dark side.
Thank You for Smoking: How Big Tobacco Created the ‘Type A’ Personality Myth|Kent Sepkowitz|July 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

These numbers are stark and sobering—in many cases, one hopes literally so.
Excessive Drinking Kills 1 in 10 Americans|Russell Saunders|June 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The very weight of the pigtail is a sobering influence; its solemn, pendulum movement is incompatible with revolt.
Tom and Some Other Girls|Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey
“Advancing years; the sobering effects of experience,” Hadria explained.
The Daughters of Danaus|Mona Caird
This man is no eavesdropper; your evil secrets have only a sobering and a saddening and a silencing effect upon him.
Bunyan Characters - Third Series|Alexander Whyte
"I am awfully sorry," cried Myra penitently, sobering at the realization of just what would be the outcome of her joke.
Tabitha's Vacation|Ruth Alberta Brown
None the less, the announcement had a sobering effect upon the elder boys.
The Hill|Horace Annesley Vachell

British Dictionary definitions for sobering

sober

/ (ˈsəʊbə) /

adjective

not drunk

not given to excessive indulgence in drink or any other activity

sedate and rationala sober attitude to a problem

(of colours) plain and dull or subdued

free from exaggeration or speculationhe told us the sober truth

verb

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

Derived forms of sober

sobering, adjectivesoberingly, adverbsoberly, adverbsoberness, noun

Word Origin for sober

C14 sobre, from Old French, from Latin sōbrius

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

sober

adjective, so·ber·er, so·ber·est.

verb (used with or without object)

Content related to sober

Words related to sober

Words nearby sober

Origin of sober

SYNONYMS FOR sober

ANTONYMS FOR sober

OTHER WORDS FROM sober

Examples from the Web for sobering

British Dictionary definitions for sobering

adjective

verb

Derived forms of sober

Word Origin for sober