sober
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: note: r
enpr: sō'bə
ipa: /ˈsəʊ.bə(ɹ)/
ipa: /ˈsoʊ.bɚ/
rhymes: -əʊbə(ɹ)
homophone: soba (non-rhotic)
Forms: form: soberer
form: soberest
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.
Senses: antonyms: word: drunk
word: abstemious
word: clean
word: clearheaded
word: on the wagon
word: sober
word: sober as a judge
word: teetotal
glosses: Not drunk; not intoxicated.
examples: text: Ten months sober, I must admit
Just because you're clean, don't mean you don't miss it
ref: 2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Imogen Heap, “Clean (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version), performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023:
glosses: Not under the influence of any recreational drug.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1890, John Charles Cox, “The Sober Life”, in The Godly, Righteous, And Sober Life, page 35:
text: After eliminating alcohol from their lives, some sober individuals exclusively date nondrinkers.
ref: 2020 December 29, Hilary Sheinbaum, “Finding Love Without Alcohol”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
text: Rose told me that she's sober.
ref: (Can we date this quote?), (Please provide the book title or journal name):
synonyms: word: abstemious
word: temperate
word: abstemious
word: abstentious
word: abstinent
word: sober
word: spareful
word: temperate
glosses: Not given to excessive drinking of alcohol.
examples: text: God help me to watch and to be sober.
ref: 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 31:
text: [N]o ſober man vvould put himſelf into a danger for the Applauſe of ſcaping vvithout breaking his Neck.
ref: 1680, John Dryden, “The Preface to Ovid’s Epistles”, in Ovid, Ovid’s Epistles, […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
text: Which is the finest and soberest state possible.
ref: 2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 230d:
synonyms: word: measured
word: mellow
word: middle of the road
word: mild
word: moderate
word: nonexcessive
word: nonextreme
word: nonfanatic
word: proper
word: reasonable
word: reasonous
word: sober
word: temperate
word: tempered
word: unexcessive
word: unextreme
word: abstemious
word: calm
word: collected
word: composed
word: continent
word: cool
word: dispassionate
word: inexcitable
word: imperturbable
word: regular
word: sedate
word: sober
word: steady
word: staid
word: temperate
word: undisturbed
word: unexcitable
word: unexcited
word: unimpassioned
word: unpassionate
word: unperturbed
word: unruffled
word: unstirred
word: unsusceptible
glosses: Moderate; realistic; serious; not playful; not passionate; cool; self-controlled.
examples: text: Twilight grey / Had in her sober livery all things clad.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
synonyms: word: muted
word: subdued
word: bland
word: colourless
word: dim
word: dingy
word: dull
word: faint
word: lackluster
word: leaden
word: muddy
word: sad
word: sober
word: uncolorful
word: unholiday
word: wan
glosses: Dull; not bright or colorful.
raw_tags: of color
examples: text: See her sober over a sampler, or gay over a jointed baby.
ref: 1717, Alexander Pope, Letter from Edward Blount, Esq.:
text: What parts gay France from sober Spain? A little rising rocky chain.
ref: 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC:
synonyms: word: austere
word: frightful
word: demure
word: serious
word: grave
word: earnest
word: grievous
word: lack-laughter
word: thoughtful
word: sad
word: sage
word: saturnine
word: sedate
word: solemn
word: solemncholy
word: sober
word: somber
word: sombre
word: staid
word: stern
word: sweer
word: weightsome
word: weighty
glosses: Subdued; solemn; grave.
glosses: Poor; feeble.
Synonyms: word: clearheaded
word: dry
word: on the wagon
word: sober
word: sober as a judge
word: stone-cold sober
word: undrunken
word: unintoxicated
Hypernyms: word: abstemious
word: self-abnegatory
word: temperate
Derived terms: appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober
California sober
cold sober
draw a sober breath
drunk words are sober thoughts
ensober
sober as a judge
sober-curious
sober down
soberer
sober house
soberize
sober living house
soberly
soberness
sobersided
sobersides
sober space
sober up
stone-cold sober
unsober
wanton kittens make sober cats
Related terms: word: teetotaller
word: teetotaler