Meaning & use
sober drunk
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivenot comparableinformaldisapproving
Acting silly, loud, or out of control as if drunk, but without having drunk alcohol.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb like 'be' or 'get'; not usually before a noun.
Patterns
- be sober drunk
- get sober drunk
After three espressos he was sober drunk, laughing at everything.
She gets sober drunk at parties and dances on tables without a drop of alcohol.
Common combinations
- sober drunk on caffeine
- He was sober drunk on caffeine after six cups of coffee.
- sober drunk on adrenaline
- The crowd was sober drunk on adrenaline after the win.
- sober drunk at a party
- She was sober drunk at the party and couldn't stop talking.
Synonyms and how they differ
- high on life
- Positive and approving; 'sober drunk' is usually critical or humorous.
- punch-drunk
- Describes confusion from being hit or exhausted, not from acting drunk without alcohol.
Commonly confused: sober drunk or sober?
sober drunk vs sober
'Sober' means not drunk; 'sober drunk' means acting drunk while actually sober.
Practice
What does 'sober drunk' mean in 'He was sober drunk at the party'?
Choose one answer.
'Sober drunk' describes drunken behavior without alcohol. Option An is wrong because the person is sober; option C is the opposite; option D is about the after-effects of drinking.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sober drunk”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.