# sober up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sober-up
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to become less drunk or to make someone else become less drunk. You use this when someone needs to get their clear mind back after drinking alcohol.

For teachers: to become or cause to become sober after a period of intoxication. The verb functions both intransitively (the subject recovers) and transitively (an external factor or time causes the object to recover).

## Examples

- I need to drink some water and sober up before I go home.
- After the wild party, he spent two hours walking around the park to sober up before his parents arrived.
- The cold morning air and a strong cup of black coffee did little to sober up the exhausted revellers after their night of excess.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He needs to sober himself." but "He needs to sober up." — the particle 'up' is required to complete the phrasal verb meaning of recovering from intoxication.

## Usage notes

- often used with 'a bit' or 'quickly'; when transitive, the object can sit between the verb and particle.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'dry out', which refers to a long-term recovery from alcoholism rather than a short-term recovery from a single night of drinking.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.