SOBRIETY Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

sobriety

noun

sə-ˈbrī-ə-tē

Definition of sobriety

as in intentness

a mental state free of jesting or trifling an abrupt sobriety fell over the group when they heard the news

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in temperance

voluntary restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites although she can afford to wear anything, she practices a sartorial sobriety that bespeaks class and taste

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of sobriety Tommy White Rated PG-13, 1 hour 37 minutes Hank, an American living in Australia, is now trying to be a gentle giant, one who’s celebrating his one-year anniversary of sobriety and who clearly suffers from lingering emotional trauma. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 His addiction or sobriety became connected to the state of our nation. — David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026 Another crash in a difficult cycle The golf champion failed a sobriety test in March after crashing his car not far from his home in Martin County, Florida, according to an arrest affidavit. — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026 An arrest affidavit said Woods did not pass a field sobriety test and had prescription painkillers in his pocket. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sobriety

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sobriety

Noun

Now life was like that; some days fine and firm and full of whatever, while other days the hoarse bark of the neighbors’ dog or a friend’s grim diagnosis and her body succumbed to an emotional gravity that pulled her into a free fall.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Against logic and gravity, though, Kelce revived himself last season.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of gravity

Noun

Why Gen Z is embracing sober curious drinking Three forces are pulling Gen Z toward more selective drinking, and none of them look like old-school temperance.

— Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
The temperance movement was in full swing then, and the aversion to alcohol was especially strong in the rural South.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of temperance

Noun

She is considered the Canadian equivalent to the Down Under disco queen Kylie Minogue by some, and recalls a young Taylor Swift for her unabashed earnestness.

— Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
But the razzle-dazzle pairs oddly with his earnestness, as do the video projections with antique furnishings.

— Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of earnestness

Noun

By May 2026, all 11 of xAI’s original cofounders had departed the company, a cascade that began in earnest in February when Tony Wu, described as one of the most operationally central cofounders, announced his resignation.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 June 2026
Modern viticulture began in earnest here in the 1970s before blossoming in the ’90s.

— Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 June 2026