sobriety

noun

so·​bri·​ety sə-ˈbrī-ə-tē 

sō-

: the quality or state of being sober

Synonyms of sobriety

• intentness
• gravity
• earnestness
• soberness
• earnest

Examples of sobriety in a Sentence

They did a sobriety test on him.

the sobriety of the situation

Recent Examples on the Web

Shane and the other three officers, in their reports, described Curry as being uncooperative and declining to submit to a standard field sobriety test, but instead telling them to put him in handcuffs. —Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

The video shows Woods being handcuffed after failing a sobriety test. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026

The hood-of-the-car moment marks a clear shift One of the most telling sequences shows Woods seated on the hood of a patrol car during sobriety testing. —Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026

Woods, who was hiccupping during questioning, continuously moved his head during one of the sobriety tests and deputies had to tell him several times to keep his head straight, according to an arrest report. —R.j. Rico, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026

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

Rhymes for sobriety

• anxiety
• impiety
• propriety
• satiety
• society
• variety
• antianxiety
• intersociety
• contrariety
• impropriety
• inebriety
• notoriety

Kids Definition

sobriety

noun

so·​bri·​ety sə-ˈbrī-ət-ē 

: the quality or state of being sober