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Meaning & use

being sober

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌbiːɪŋ ˈsəʊbə/
US/ˌbiːɪŋ ˈsoʊbər/

Meanings

  1. phraseuncountable

    the state or practice of not drinking alcohol, especially after having had a drinking problem.

    Grammar: Used as a noun phrase: it can be the subject of a sentence, as in 'Being sober changed his life.'

    Patterns

    • being sober for a period of time
    • the importance of being sober
    • stay sober

    Being sober for a year has given her much more energy.

    He says being sober is easier when his friends support him.

    For many people, being sober is a daily choice rather than a single decision.

  2. phraseuncountable

    the condition of not being drunk at a particular moment.

    Grammar: Refers to a temporary state; contrast with 'getting sober,' which suggests a process.

    Patterns

    • being sober at the time
    • being sober enough to drive

    The police asked whether he was being sober at the time of the accident.

    She made sure she was being sober before she got behind the wheel.

Common combinations

stay sober
He has stayed sober for three years.
get sober
She decided to get sober after a health scare.
sober up
He drank coffee to sober up before the meeting.
sober living
The center offers sober living housing for recovering patients.
clean and sober
After treatment, he was finally clean and sober.

Synonyms and how they differ

sobriety
The noun for the state of being sober; more formal and often used in medical or legal contexts.
abstinence
Not doing something, especially drinking; broader and more formal than 'being sober.'
teetotalism
The practice of never drinking alcohol at all; stronger than simply being sober now.

Opposites

drunkennessintoxication

Word family

sober adjective
Not affected by alcohol; serious and calm.
soberly adverb
In a serious, calm, or not-drunk way.
sobriety noun
The state of being sober.
sobering adjective
Making you feel serious or thoughtful, as in 'a sobering experience.'

Commonly confused: being sober or sobering?

being sober vs sobering

'Sobering' means making you serious or thoughtful, while 'being sober' means not being drunk. 'A sobering thought' has nothing to do with alcohol.

Practice

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