- [not usually before noun] not drunk (= not affected by alcohol)
- I stayed sober so I could drive us home.
- He was as sober as a judge (= completely sober).
Extra Examples- By this time he felt more or less sober again.
- We'll talk about this tomorrow when you're sober.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- feel
- look
- …
- completely
- entirely
- perfectly
- …
- clean and sober
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- having completely stopped drinking alcohol, especially after being an alcoholic (= somebody who regularly drinks too much alcohol and cannot stop)
- to get/stay sober
Extra ExamplesTopics Social issuesc2, Health problemsc2- I've been clean and sober for four years.
- There is help for you out there if you want to get sober.
- He is really committed to staying sober.
- Only the thought of her kept him sober.
- (of people and their behaviour) serious and sensible
- a sober assessment of the situation
- He is honest, sober and hard-working.
- On sober reflection (= after some serious thought), I don't think I really need a car after all.
- (of colours or clothes) plain and not bright
- a sober grey suit
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French sobre, from Latin sobrius.
Idioms
See sober in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionarystone-cold sober
- having drunk no alcohol at all
Check pronunciation:
sober