1
as in straight
not having one's mind affected by alcohol
it's important to stay sober if you're going to be driving a car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in logical
based on sound reasoning or information
a sober assessment of the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner
a sober reply to what was only a teasing comment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in quiet
not excessively showy
if you don't have anything in black, at least wear a sober outfit to the funeral
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ascetic
given to or marked by restraint in the satisfaction of one's appetites
cruise passengers of sober dispositions will be put off by the focus on nonstop dining
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sober
By the three month mark, even my two teenage sons were remarking on my sober skin.
—
Donna Francis, Allure, 25 Aug. 2025
Healing Housing provides sober living for women in three houses in Nashville with a total of 28 beds.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 23 Aug. 2025
While driving, take care to avoid motorists (not all of them sober) walking along the roads, especially after shows and in the dark.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2025
The twins, Bob and Max, now live full-time with the actor, who has been sober since December 2017.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sober
Donna Francis, Allure, 25 Aug. 2025
Healing Housing provides sober living for women in three houses in Nashville with a total of 28 beds.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 23 Aug. 2025
While driving, take care to avoid motorists (not all of them sober) walking along the roads, especially after shows and in the dark.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2025
The twins, Bob and Max, now live full-time with the actor, who has been sober since December 2017.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sober
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sober
Adjective
-
The Cougars currently dominate that record 72-17-3 and have won the last 10 straight meetings between the teams in a run that dates back to 2001.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Shares declined for a third straight week, extending the stock’s recent losing streak.—
Benzinga,
Freep.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Just as a logical gate in a regular computer changes bits from 0 to 1 to allow computation, quantum gates manipulate qubits.—
Ananya Palivela,
Scientific American,
30 Aug. 2025
-
For Martin, the path from Turner to the cage is less a leap and more a logical next step.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
There really isn’t any ambiguity here: Congress must debate and deliberate over the solemn decision to declare and make war, and the executive carries out its mandates as commander in chief.—
Chris Lehmann,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Meanwhile, Warsaw rebuilds with striking glass façades and solemn memory—where modern museums rise beside war-scarred monuments.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In a travel landscape where nearly every detail can be planned, controlled, and optimized, a quiet countertrend is emerging—one that celebrates the unknown.—
Ashley Kennedy,
Robb Report,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Thessaloniki, however, pulses with spice-laden markets, waterfront cafés, and Byzantine mosaics tucked into quiet chapels.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Other spaces — like the fourth floor, where more difficult patients are kept and Max is instructed to avoid — are cold and ascetic.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
24 July 2025
-
Wells was as quiet as White was loud, as eccentric as White was flamboyant, as ascetic as White was sensual.—
Henry Wiencek
July 22,
Literary Hub,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, those who prefer to stick to dry land can make the trek up to Kelly Ridge Point, an elevated site that offers gorgeous views of the surrounding lake.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Right now, the area burning just north of Alligator Alley, northwest of Weston, is drier than it’s been at this time of year since 2007, which was one of the worst drought years on record.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
However, taxpayers who can’t get through on the phone in a reasonable time may get frustrated and hang up without a resolution.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
In 2008, Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, offered an agreement that the PLO, led by Abbas, considered broadly reasonable.—
Hussein Ibish,
The Atlantic,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and fatal infections in children, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
-
In the Hollywood-set film, Sandler plays against type as a serious, straight-shooting manager to spiraling movie star Jay Kelly (George Clooney).—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sober.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sober. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share