sobering

1 of 2

adjective

so·​ber·​ing ˈsō-b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce sobering (audio)
: tending to make one thoughtful or sober

sobering

2 of 2

present participle of sober entry 2

Examples of sobering in a Sentence

Adjective His death is a sobering reminder of the dangers of mountaineering.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The National Institutes of Health found a 121% increase in adolescent overdose deaths between 2010 and 2021, a sobering reminder of the impact on schools. — Nathalia Fernandez, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026 The meltwater pouring off Bråsvellbreen like waterfalls, though breathtakingly beautiful, was another sobering reminder of the consequences of global warming. — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 This debrief goes a little differently than usual thanks to the sobering presence of FBI Director Wexler (Jessalyn Gilsig). — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2026 However, the actual crude oil inventory tells a sobering story. — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sobering

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1816, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sobering was in 1816

Browse Nearby Words

sober
sobering
soberingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sobering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sobering. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All