sobering

[soh-ber-ing] / ˈsoʊ bər ɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

serious

Synonyms

STRONGEST

dangerous deep difficult far-reaching grievous important major meaningful severe significant tough urgent

WEAK

arduous fateful fell formidable grave grim hard heavy laborious meaning business menacing momentous no joke no laughing matter of consequence operose out for blood playing hard ball pressing smoking strenuous strictly business threatening ugly unamusing unhumorous worrying

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm easy facile friendly insignificant little meaningless minor small trivial unimportant worthless

WEAK

flippant funny happy light unserious

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"The implications are really sobering as this new finding essentially places these animals in 'double jeopardy," said Dr. Payne.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

For readers enjoying their potted orchids at home, Mr. Haskell has a sobering message.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Arsenal remain in a superb position in the Premier League and have the Champions League and FA Cup in their sights, but this was a sobering and disappointing day for the Gunners.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

I’m sadly reminded of colleagues who never recovered, a sobering thought as we stare down the barrel of yet another employment crisis.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

The memory of Asase injects a sobering determination in me.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Vocabulary lists containing sobering

Song of Solomon

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

You Call This Democracy?

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

I Must Betray You

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!