sober

1 of 2

adjective

so·​ber ˈsō-bər 

soberer ˈsō-bər-ər  ; soberest ˈsō-b(ə-)rəst 

1

a

: not intoxicated

He's a half-decent guy when he's sober, but when he's drunk, he's just not accountable for what he does, and he spends a lot of time drunk.

—Stephen King

b

: abstaining from drinking alcohol or taking intoxicating drugs : refraining from the use of addictive substances (see substance sense 3c)

Blossom learns that life isn't always rosy, especially for recovering substance abusers, when she discovers her brother Anthony—clean and sober for two years—wilting when he's tempted by a liquor bottle.

—TV Guide

c

: sparing in the use of food and drink : abstemious

He was a large, saturnine man, … comparatively sober in his habits, as people must be who make money out of other people's vices.

—Dorothy L. Sayers

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

soberly

ˈsō-bər-lē 

adverb

soberness noun

sober

2 of 2

verb

sobered; sobering ˈsō-b(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

: to make sober

intransitive verb

: to become sober

—usually used with up

Synonyms

Adjective

• straight
• dry
• steady
• clearheaded

Choose the Right Synonym for sober

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

My mother spoke of my grandmother’s sober beauty, plain and simple but nevertheless an inspiration to my grandfather. —Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

In order to get and keep patients that could bill the state's Medicaid system, the owners allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes to the owners of sober homes. —Ryan Lucas, NPR, 30 June 2025

Verb

The sociologist Max Weber's classic analysis of Germany's limited democratic prospects at the end of the empire, which Steinberg appropriately highlights and appreciates, should be sobering reading for fans of competitive authoritarians in the developing world today. —Michael Bernhard, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2011

There are sobering downsides to using AGI that need to be weighed against the benefits. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English sobre, from Anglo-French, from Latin sobrius; akin to Latin ebrius drunk

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing sober

• (as) sober as a judge
• sober up

Rhymes for sober

• tober
• october

Kids Definition

sober

1 of 2 adjective

so·​ber ˈsō-bər 

soberer -bər-ər  ; soberest -b(ə-)rəst 

1

a

: sparing especially in the use of food and drink

b

: not drunk

2

: having a serious attitude : solemn

3

: having a quiet tone or color

4

: well reasoned and balanced

a sober decision

soberly

-bər-lē 

adverb

soberness noun

sober

2 of 2 verb

sobered; sobering -b(ə-)riŋ 

: to make or become sober