sobering

[soh-ber-ing]

adjective

1. serious, grave, or solemn.

   One of the most sobering visits was to the cemetery at Omaha Beach where 18,000 American servicemen lie buried.

   The agency has issued a sobering warning about the health of the world's oceans.

Other Word Forms

• soberingly adverb
• nonsobering adjective
• unsobering adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sobering¹

sober ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

This is a notable and perhaps sobering parallel, but it does not necessarily discredit contemporary psychiatry, as Ms. Antonetta seems to imply.

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This is a time of sobering transition for the kingdom as Vision 2030, the crown prince’s modernization blueprint, enters its second decade.

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The medical scenes and discussions are frank, informative and often sobering.

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The U.K.’s move is the product of a sobering reality in Britain and much of Europe nowadays.

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For Liverpool, this was a sobering, chastening experience.

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Related Words

• dangerous 
• deep 
• difficult 
• far-reaching 
• grievous 
• important 
• major 
• meaningful 
• severe 
• significant 
• tough 
• urgent