sobriety

noun

so·​bri·​ety sə-ˈbrī-ə-tē How to pronounce sobriety (audio)
sō-
Synonyms of sobriety
: the quality or state of being sober

Synonyms of sobriety

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Examples of sobriety in a Sentence

They did a sobriety test on him. the sobriety of the situation
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.
Sanders tested positive for alcohol consumption on a portable device and performed poorly on the field sobriety test, the complaint says. — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026 Earlier in the summer, Delevingne revealed that Minke was there for her amid her drug overdose while opening up about her sobriety journey on The Louis Theroux Podcast during a tell-all interview released on Monday, June 29. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 Sober curiosity is not the same as sobriety in a recovery context. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026 Rogers allegedly refused to take any field sobriety tests and was arrested. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sobriety

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sobrete, from Anglo-French sobreté, from Latin sobrietat-, sobrietas, from sobrius

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sobriety was in the 15th century

Rhymes for sobriety

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Browse Nearby Words

sobrerol
sobriety
sobriquet
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Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

sobriety

noun
so·​bri·​ety sə-ˈbrī-ət-ē How to pronounce sobriety (audio)
: the quality or state of being sober
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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