sober

comparative soberer · superlative soberest

1. Not drunk; not intoxicated.

   Antonyms: drunk, Adrian Quist, adrip, aled up, all mops and brooms, arseholed, a sheet in the wind, a sheet in the wind's eye

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

   2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Imogen Heap, “Clean (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version), performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023

3. Not given to excessive drinking of alcohol.

   Rose told me that she's sober.

   (Can we date this quote?), (Please provide the book title or journal name)

   2 more examples

   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.

   1890, John Charles Cox, “The Sober Life”, in The Godly, Righteous, And Sober Life, page 35

   After eliminating alcohol from their lives, some sober individuals exclusively date nondrinkers.

   2020 December 29, Hilary Sheinbaum, “Finding Love Without Alcohol”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 12 Feb 2021

   Synonyms: abstemious, temperate, abstemious, abstentious, abstinent, spareful, temperate

4. figurativelyModerate; realistic; serious; not playful; not passionate; cool; self-controlled.

   God help me to watch and to be sober.

   1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 31

   2 more examples

   [N]o ſober man vvould put himſelf into a danger for the Applauſe of ſcaping vvithout breaking his Neck.

   1680, John Dryden, “The Preface to Ovid’s Epistles”, in Ovid, Ovid’s Epistles, […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC

   Which is the finest and soberest state possible.

   2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 230d

   Synonyms: measured, mellow, middle of the road, mild, moderate, nonexcessive, nonextreme, nonfanatic

5. Dull; not bright or colorful.

   Twilight grey / Had in her sober livery all things clad.

   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: muted, subdued, bland, colourless, dim, dingy, dull, faint

6. Subdued; solemn; grave.

   See her sober over a sampler, or gay over a jointed baby.

   1717, Alexander Pope, Letter from Edward Blount, Esq.

   1 more example

   What parts gay France from sober Spain? A little rising rocky chain.

   1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: austere, frightful, demure, serious, grave, earnest, grievous, lack-laughter

7. ScotlandPoor; feeble.

present singular third person sobers · participle present sobering · participle past sobered · past sobered

1. oftenwith upTo make or become sober.

   His expression sobered.

   2 more examples

   There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, / And drinking largely sobers us again.

   1711, Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

   The night air may have sobered him a bit by the time they got back to Beattock.

   1950 January, David L. Smith, “A Runaway at Beattock”, in Railway Magazine, page 53

2. oftenwith upTo overcome or lose a state of intoxication.

   It took him hours to sober up.

3. 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.

plural Sobers

1. A surname.