sobriety

noun

so·​bri·​ety sə-ˈbrī-ə-tē How to pronounce sobriety (audio)
sō-
: the quality or state of being sober

Examples of sobriety in a Sentence

They did a sobriety test on him. the sobriety of the situation
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Officer Sydney Lewis was arrested after she was stopped for speeding while off duty and failed a field sobriety test, Little Rock police said in a news release. Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2025 On this week’s episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Farrell reflects on his career, collaborations, sobriety, Batman and what gives him hope in a chaotic world. Clayton Davis, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025 Relapses can be a part of the sobriety journey. Essence, 8 Oct. 2025 The 34-year-old personality recently celebrated six months of sobriety with his father, Michael Jordan, and their family. Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sobriety

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sobrete, from Anglo-French sobreté, from Latin sobrietat-, sobrietas, from sobrius

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sobriety was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sobriety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sobriety. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

sobriety

noun
so·​bri·​ety sə-ˈbrī-ət-ē How to pronounce sobriety (audio)
: the quality or state of being sober

More from Merriam-Webster on sobriety

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!