Sober vs. Somber

Soberadjective

not drunk; not intoxicated

Somberadjective

Dark or dreary in character; joyless, and grim.

Soberadjective

not given to excessive drinking of alcohol

Somberadjective

Dark; lacking color or brightness.

Soberadjective

moderate; realistic; serious; not playful; not passionate; cool; self-controlled

Somberverb

alternative form of sombre

Soberadjective

dull; not bright or colorful

Somberadjective

Dull; dusky; somewhat dark; gloomy; as, a somber forest; a somber house.

Soberadjective

subdued; solemn; grave

Somberadjective

Melancholy; sad; grave; depressing; as, a somber person; somber reflections.

‘The dinner was silent and somber; happily it was also short.’;

Soberadjective

(Scotland) poor; feeble

Somberverb

To make somber, or dark; to make shady.

Soberverb

(often with up) To make or become sober.

Sombernoun

Gloom; obscurity; duskiness; somberness.

Soberverb

(often with up) To overcome or lose a state of intoxication.

‘It took him hours to sober up.’;

Somberadjective

grave or even gloomy in character;

‘solemn and mournful music’; ‘a suit of somber black’; ‘a somber mood’;

Soberverb

To moderate one's feelings

Somberadjective

lacking brightness or color; dull;

‘drab faded curtains’; ‘sober Puritan gray’; ‘children in somber brown clothes’;

Soberadjective

Temperate in the use of spirituous liquors; habitually temperate; as, a sober man.

‘That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of Thy holy name.’;

Soberadjective

Not intoxicated or excited by spirituous liquors; as, the sot may at times be sober.

Soberadjective

Not mad or insane; not wild, visionary, or heated with passion; exercising cool, dispassionate reason; self-controlled; self-possessed.

‘There was not a sober person to be had; all was tempestuous and blustering.’; ‘No sober man would put himself into danger for the applause of escaping without breaking his neck.’;

Soberadjective

Not proceeding from, or attended with, passion; calm; as, sober judgment; a man in his sober senses.

Soberadjective

Serious or subdued in demeanor, habit, appearance, or color; solemn; grave; sedate.

‘What parts gay France from sober Spain?’; ‘See her sober over a sampler, or gay over a jointed baby.’; ‘Twilight grayHad in her sober livery all things clad.’;

Soberverb

To make sober.

‘There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,And drinking largely sobers us again.’;

Soberverb

To become sober; - often with down.

‘Vance gradually sobered down.’;

Soberverb

cause to become sober;

‘A sobering thought’;

Soberverb

become more realistic;

‘After thinking about the potential consequences of his plan, he sobered up’;

Soberverb

become sober after excessive alcohol consumption;

‘Keep him in bed until he sobers up’;

Soberadjective

not affected by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)

Soberadjective

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises;

‘a grave God-fearing man’; ‘a quiet sedate nature’; ‘as sober as a judge’; ‘a solemn promise’; ‘the judge was solemn as he pronounced sentence’;

Soberadjective

lacking brightness or color; dull;

‘drab faded curtains’; ‘sober Puritan gray’; ‘children in somber brown clothes’;

Soberadjective

completely lacking in playfulness