sober
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.not affected by alcohol or drugs.
adj.not intoxicated by alcohol or under the influence of recreational drugs.
Simple“He decided to stay sober so he could drive his friends home safely.”
In context“The witness provided a remarkably clear account of the accident, having remained entirely sober throughout the evening's festivities.”
Synonymsclear headedstraightAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.serious, calm, and sensible in your thinking.
adj.serious, sensible, and solemn in character or manner; showing self-control.
Simple“After the accident, they had a sober discussion about safety rules.”
In context“The CEO gave a sober assessment of the company's financial situation, avoiding any optimistic language that might mislead the board.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.plain and not bright in colour.
adj.subdued or muted in colour or tone; lacking brightness or ornamentation.
Simple“She wore a sober grey suit for the job interview.”
In context“The office was decorated in sober tones of brown and navy, creating a professional if somewhat uninspiring atmosphere.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to stop feeling the effects of alcohol, often used with 'up'.
v.to become sober after a period of intoxication; frequently functions as a phrasal verb with 'up'.
Simple“A walk in the cold air helped him sober up after the party.”
In context“It took several hours for the suspect to sober up enough to provide a coherent statement to the investigators.”
SynonymsAntonymsintoxicate
“After the break, Beard got sober and toured with the band for decades.”
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.