soberer
ˈsō-bər-ər 
; soberest
ˈsō-b(ə-)rəst
; 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
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
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
Dorothy L. Sayers2
: marked by sedate or gravely or earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor
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
soberness
noun
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
Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
Maddie, who fled her home as a teenager after stealing a five-figure sum from her parents, is now sober and raising Caroline alone.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 21 Oct. 2025
Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025
As the former Pentagon Papers whistleblower relates, all of us will be losers; sobering words that remain a catalyst for change.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sober
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Adjective
DePina rented a room in a sober-living house on one side of the tracks and was crossing to get to a group meeting on the other side.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
Maddie, who fled her home as a teenager after stealing a five-figure sum from her parents, is now sober and raising Caroline alone.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
The news is sobering elsewhere too.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025
As the former Pentagon Papers whistleblower relates, all of us will be losers; sobering words that remain a catalyst for change.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sober
Cite this Entry
“Sober.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sober. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sober
1 of 2 adjective
so·ber
ˈsō-bər
soberer
-bər-ər
; soberest
-b(ə-)rəst
; 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
soberness
noun
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