sober

adjective

so·ber | \ ˈsō-bər

soberer\ ˈsō-bər-ər

\; soberest\ ˈsō-b(ə-)rəst

Definition of sober

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : sparing in the use of food and drink : abstemious

b : not addicted to intoxicating drink

c : not drunk

2 : marked by sedate or gravely or earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor

3 : unhurried, calm

4 : marked by temperance, moderation, or seriousness a sober candlelight vigil

5 : subdued in tone or color

6 : showing no excessive or extreme qualities of fancy, emotion, or prejudice

sober

verb

sobered; sobering\ ˈsō-b(ə-)riŋ

Definition of sober (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to make sober

intransitive verb

: to become sober —usually used with up

Other Words from sober Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about sober

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Synonyms & Antonyms for sober

Synonyms: Adjective

clearheaded, straight

Antonyms: Adjective

blasted [slang], blind, blitzed [slang], blotto [slang], bombed, boozy, canned [slang], cockeyed, crocked, drunk, drunken, fried, gassed, hammered [slang], high, inebriate, inebriated, intoxicated, juiced [slang], lit, lit up, loaded [slang], looped, oiled [slang], pickled, pie-eyed, plastered, potted [slang], ripped [slang], sloshed [slang], smashed [slang], sottish, soused, sozzled, squiffed (or squiffy), stewed, stiff, stinking [slang], stoned, tanked [slang], tight, tipsy, wasted [slang], wiped out [slang]

Choose the Right Synonym for sober

Adjective

serious, grave, solemn, sedate, staid, sober, earnest mean not light or frivolous. serious implies a concern for what really matters. a serious play about social injustice grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude. read the proclamation in a grave voice solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity. a sad and solemn occasion sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness. remained sedate amid the commotion staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint. a quiet and staid community sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity. a sober look at the state of our schools earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose. an earnest reformer

Examples of sober in a Sentence

Adjective

I'm driving, so I have to stay sober tonight. He is a sober, hardworking farmer. The story is a sober look at drug abuse. Illness is a sober reminder of our mortality. The article is a sober reflection on the state of our nation.

Verb

He returned home from the war, saddened and sobered by his experiences.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

She's had a long, difficult history with addiction but had been sober for six years until this latest relapse. — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "Demi Lovato Shows Fans How She's Fighting for Recovery With a Jiu-Jistsu Selfie," 5 Dec. 2018 What is required in this matter, as in any other, is sober analysis of the facts and the law—not partisan gamesmanship. — Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, "“What is the FCC hiding?” Pai still won’t release net neutrality server logs," 3 Dec. 2018 Kaley Cuoco later revealed that Ryan Sweeting had become addicted to prescription painkillers and was making no effort to get sober, leading to the demise of their union. — Vogue, "Celebrity Divorces: 29 of the Most High-Profile Breakups," 27 July 2018 After overcoming both alcoholism and an addiction to methamphetamine, Jodie has now been sober since 2011, and regularly visits colleges to speak to students about her experiences. — Emma Dibdin, Country Living, "All About Hallmark Star Jodie Sweetin's Difficult Journey to Find Love After Divorce," 15 Dec. 2018 Hence, if software can drive as well as the average sober, alert human driver, its widespread use would save thousands of lives per year. — Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, "Car crashes killed 37,133 people in the US in 2017," 3 Oct. 2018 Myth #1: People who take buprenorphine or methadone to treat addiction are merely substituting one addiction for another and aren’t truly sober. — Felice J. Freyer, BostonGlobe.com, "Five myths about medications to treat addiction," 7 June 2018 With the summer travel season fully underway, police urge motorists to buckle up — every trip, every time — and to use a sober driver. — Staff Report, Post-Tribune, "Gary police issue 844 citations in seat belt enforcement campaign," 6 June 2018 Once a person is sober again, the brain’s memory processing returns to normal. — Julia Belluz, Vox, "Blackout drinking, explained for Brett Kavanaugh," 3 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

His treatment—and his wife’s efforts to draw attention to his situation by shaving her head and staging a walk from Beijing to Tianjin—have sobered other Chinese rights activists. — Eva Dou, WSJ, "China Puts Rights Lawyer on Trial for Subversion," 26 Dec. 2018 The normally sober David Axelrod of CNN likened Trump to Neville Chamberlain after his infamous meeting with Hitler. — Howard Kurtz, Fox News, "A media firestorm as Trump seems to side with Putin over US intelligence," 17 July 2018 But when a person is unruly or combative, they are taken to the detention center to sober up there instead. — Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, "Family seeks answers after woman hanged self in police custody," 21 June 2018 Still, the numbers for a player who is already on the short list of the best receivers in team history are sobering. — Bob Condotta, The Seattle Times, "Doug Baldwin says he’s healthy, ball just didn’t go his way Sunday," 9 Oct. 2018 The experience of stateless Palestinians is sobering. — The Economist, "Syrian refugees could turn into the new Palestinians," 30 June 2018 To think that David Mamet has been on Broadway 10 times during this period is sobering. — Charles Mcnulty, latimes.com, "Tony Kushner, thinking citizen: The playwright on 'Angels in America,' 'West Side Story' and surviving Trump," 30 Mar. 2018 This is a movie in which the de-rigueur baptism scene is of the preacher himself being dunked to sober up. — Author: Ann Hornaday, Anchorage Daily News, "Is ‘Damsel’ the first Western for the #MeToo generation?," 28 June 2018 The Boston Fed president came to town this week with a message to sober up before the economy heads south again. — Nick Timiraos, WSJ, "Boston Fed’s Rosengren Says It’s Time to Take Away Monetary-Policy Punch Bowl," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sober.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.