What does "sober" mean?
To make or become sober.
Sober
/ˈsəʊ.bə(ɹ)/ adj, name, verb
adj, name, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To make or become sober.
- Grammar: sober is listed as adj, name, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: grave, solemn, abate, abstaining.
- Useful contrasts: drunk, insane, stoned.
- Usage evidence: I went for a walk to try to sober up.
How to use "sober"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sober" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sober" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sober" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sober" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sober" is acting as adj, name, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "grave" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sober", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To make or become sober. often, with-up
"There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, / And drinking largely sobers us again."
- 2 become sober after excessive alcohol consumption wordnet
- 3 To overcome or lose a state of intoxication. often, with-up
"It took him hours to sober up."
- 4 become more realistic wordnet
- 5 To moderate one's feelings; to accept a disappointing reality after losing one's ability to believe in a fantastic goal.
"Losing his job was a sobering experience."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 cause to become sober wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Not drunk; not intoxicated.
- 2 Not under the influence of any recreational drug.
"Ten months sober, I must admit Just because you're clean, don't mean you don't miss it"
- 3 Not given to excessive drinking of alcohol.
"Amid all the confusion and disorder that sin has introduced into the world, the Christian in union with God has a grace or Divine help that enables him to live the sober, self-restrained life."
- 4 Moderate; realistic; serious; not playful; not passionate; cool; self-controlled. figuratively
"God help me to watch and to be sober."
- 5 Dull; not bright or colorful.
"Twilight grey / Had in her sober livery all things clad."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Subdued; solemn; grave.
"See her sober over a sampler, or gay over a jointed baby."
- 7 Poor; feeble. Scotland
Adjective
- 1 lacking brightness or color; dull wordnet
- 2 not affected by a chemical substance (especially alcohol) wordnet
- 3 dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises wordnet
- 4 completely lacking in playfulness wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"I went for a walk to try to sober up."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sober"?
Common synonyms include: grave, solemn, abate, abstaining, abstemious, abstemious.
How do you use "sober" in a sentence?
I went for a walk to try to sober up.
How do you pronounce "sober"?
Pronounced /ˈsəʊ.bə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English sober, from Old French sobre, from Latin sōbrius, from se- (“without”) + ebrius (“intoxicated”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁egʷʰ- (“drink”). In the sense "not drunk," displaced native undrunken, from Old English undruncen.