sober

Meaning

Verb

1. (often, with-up) To make or become sober.
2. (often, with-up) To overcome or lose a state of intoxication.
3. To moderate one's feelings; to accept a disappointing reality after losing one's ability to believe in a fantastic goal.

Adj

1. Not drunk; not intoxicated.
2. Not under the influence of any recreational drug.
3. Not given to excessive drinking of alcohol.
4. (figuratively) Moderate; realistic; serious; not playful; not passionate; cool; self-controlled.
5. Dull; not bright or colorful.
6. Subdued; solemn; grave.
7. (Scotland) Poor; feeble.

Opposite of

drunk, abstemious, clean, clearheaded, on the wagon, sober, sober as a judge, teetotal

Synonyms

serious

sober up

solemn

abstinent

grave

🪦

clear-headed

moderate

sedate

calm

sombre

somber

staid

sane

clear

plain

unplayful

demure

temperate

abstemious

simple

drab

lucid

heavy

judicious

cautious

decipher

canvas

awake

dignified

dim

decided

crude

critical

‼️

get off

cool-headed

burning

austere

cool

🆒

composed

broad

expressed

explicate

fasting

fathom

flat

fresh

common

gloomy

escape

earnest

Translations

sobre

sobrio

sóbrio

nüchtern

nuchter

sobrio

νηφάλιος

serio

sobri

sober

stemmig

εγκρατής

bezadigd

ernüchtern

Pronounced as (IPA)

/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.