sober

UK: /ˈsəʊbə^r/ US: /ˈsoʊbɚ/ ,(sō′bər)

Inflections of 'sober' (adj):

soberer

adj comparative

soberest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

so•ber /ˈsoʊbɚ/   adj., -er, -est, v. 
adj. 

1. not drunk:
   One partygoer, the designated driver, stayed sober and drove everyone home.
2. quiet, sedate, or solemn:
   a serious, sober couple.
3. not flashy or showy, such as clothes;
   dull or subdued:
   sober clothes: a gray suit, white shirt, and dark tie.
4. free from exaggeration:
   sober facts.

v. 

5. sober up, to (cause to) become free of effects of too much alcoholic liquor: [~ + object + up]
   He thought a cup of coffee would sober him up.
   [~ + up + object]
   coffee to sober up the merrymakers.
   [no object]
   tried to sober up by drinking some coffee.

so•ber•ly, adv. 
so•ber•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

so•ber  (sō′bər), adj., -er, -est, v. 
adj. 

1. not intoxicated or drunk.
2. habitually temperate, esp. in the use of liquor.
3. quiet or sedate in demeanor, as persons.
4. marked by seriousness, gravity, solemnity, etc., as of demeanor, speech, etc.:
   a sober occasion.
5. subdued in tone, as color;
   not gay or showy, as clothes.
6. free from excess, extravagance, or exaggeration:
   sober facts.
7. showing self-control:
   sober restraint.
8. sane or rational:
   a sober solution to the problem.

v.t., v.i. 

9. to make or become sober: (often fol. by up).

• Latin sōbrius
• Old French
• Middle English sobre 1300–50

so′ber•ing•ly, adv. 
so′ber•ly, adv. 
so′ber•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. abstinent, abstemious.
• 4. serious, quiet, sedate, subdued, staid. See grave ².
• 5. somber, dull.
• 7. composed, collected.
• 8. reasonable, sound.

Antonyms

• 4. gay.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sober / ˈsəʊbə/ adjective

1. not drunk
2. not given to excessive indulgence in drink or any other activity
3. sedate and rational: a sober attitude to a problem
4. (of colours) plain and dull or subdued
5. free from exaggeration or speculation: he told us the sober truth

verb

1. (usually followed by up) to make or become less intoxicated, reckless, etc

Etymology: 14th Century sobre, from Old French, from Latin sōbrius

ˈsobering adjective

ˈsoberly adverb