as in intentness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling
the unexpected soberness of the class clown at the memorial service was startling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soberness
Noun
-
But there is something cold and impersonal about assessing the moral gravity of human extinction in terms of the loss of wellbeing of all who would then not exist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Jan. 2026 -
After the lunar flyby, the Earth-moon gravity field will help pull the spacecraft back to Earth over the course of its three-day return trip.—
Matthew Glasser,
ABC News,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
With a sprinkle of '80s nonsensical wit, Splash is an easy-breezy watch that finds its place in the sun by being ridiculously campy while grounding itself in earnestness, thanks to Hanks and Hannah's bewitching lead performances.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Jan. 2026
-
And his earnestness is inspiring.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The attempt at solemnity was not especially successful.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
-
These early broadcasts featured figures like Lola Beltrán and María Victoria, lending an aura of solemnity and glamour.—
Paula Soria,
AZCentral.com,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Negotiations to establish the bank started in earnest in 2014, as several Asian economies like India and Indonesia chose to join the new institution as members.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
14 Dec. 2025
-
In 2026, Hendricks will start in earnest on Phase 1 of the redevelopment, meaning every tenant needs to vacate the mall by Dec. 31.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Rodriguez noted that the law at the center of the battle doesn’t permit her to consider the seriousness of the offense nor the impact on the victims.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Advertisement This is not a failure of seriousness so much as a shift in how seriousness is encountered.—
Debbie Millman,
Time,
7 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Soberness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soberness. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
