sober
gb/sˈoʊbɚ/ us/sˈoʊbɚ/
A2
English
~ 4100
józan, komoly, visszafogott
A2
1
józan
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is sober
He has been sober for three years now.
Már három éve józan.
She was completely sober during the meeting.
A megbeszélés alatt teljesen józan volt.
The driver must be sober before starting the bus.
I decided to stay sober at the party.
He appeared sober, but his eyes were red.
Learner examples
I am sober now.
Most józan vagyok.
She is sober today.
Ma józan.
He is sober at work.
My friend is sober this week.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'sober' with 'serious' in all contexts, but in this sense it only means 'not drunk or high'.
Meaning
Not drunk or high
Collocations
stay sober
|completely sober
|remain sober
|totally sober
Synonyms
abstinent (More formal and often refers to avoiding all intoxicants over a longer period.)
Antonyms
drunk (Describes someone affected by alcohol, the opposite of sober in this sense.)
Themes
health
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not having drunk alcohol or taken drugs.
Not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
B1
2
komoly
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is sober
Her face took on a sober expression when she heard the news.
Amikor meghallotta a hírt, komolyra váltott az arckifejezése.
The speech ended on a sober note.
A beszéd komoly hangvétellel zárult.
He gave a sober account of the accident.
The mood in the room grew sober after the announcement.
We need to have a sober discussion about our finances.
Learner examples
He looks sober now.
Most komolynak tűnik.
She has a sober face.
Komoly arckifejezése van.
The class was sober after the test.
We had a sober talk.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'sober' always relates to alcohol; here it describes mood or manner.
Meaning
Serious and thoughtful in manner
Collocations
sober expression
|sober mood
|sober tone
Synonyms
serious (More common and general, but can be broader than sober's calm and restrained tone.)
Antonyms
playful (Describes a lighthearted or joking manner, opposite to sober in this sense.)
Themes
emotions
|personality
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Serious and quiet, not playful or silly.
Serious, sensible, and not given to joking or showing strong emotion.
B2
3
visszafogott
B2
Usage pattern:
[something] is sober
The room was decorated in sober colors of gray and beige.
A szobát visszafogott szürke és bézs színekkel rendezték be.
He wore a sober suit to the interview.
Az interjúra visszafogott öltönyt vett fel.
The design is elegant yet sober.
They chose a sober style for the memorial service.
Her outfit was surprisingly sober compared to last year.
Learner examples
The room has sober colors.
A szobában visszafogott színek vannak.
He wears a sober suit.
Visszafogott öltönyt visel.
The dress is sober.
The house looks sober.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with 'boring', but 'sober' here implies tasteful simplicity.
Meaning
Plain and restrained in style
Collocations
sober colors
|sober design
|sober clothing
Synonyms
understated (Emphasizes elegance through simplicity, often in fashion or design.)
Antonyms
flashy (Bright, showy, and attention-grabbing, opposite of sober in this sense.)
Themes
art
|fashion
|daily_life
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Simple and plain, not colorful or fancy.
Having a plain, simple, and restrained appearance; not bright or showy.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sober
IPA
GB/sˈoʊbɚ/
US/sˈoʊbɚ/
Syllables & stress
sober (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sober)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: sober
- Comparative: soberer
- Superlative: soberest
Word family
Forms
soberer
adjective
soberest
adjective
Core family
soberly
adverb
Related words
sobriety
noun
sobering
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
drunk
adjective A2
Expressions
bring someone back to their senses (sober someone up figuratively)
1/bɹˈɪŋ sˈʌmwˌʌn bˈæk tə ðˈɛɹ sˈɛnsɪz sˈoʊbɚ sˈʌmwˌʌn ˈʌp fɪɡjˈʊɹɪtɪvli/
idiom
Make think clearly again
To help someone start thinking clearly again after being confused, shocked, or too emotional.
Examples
- The news brought him back to his senses and he became more focused.
- A good night's sleep will bring you back to your senses.
deadly sober
1/dˈɛdli sˈoʊbɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
Extremely serious manner
Very serious and without any joking.
Examples
- He was deadly sober when he told us about the risks.
- She spoke in a deadly sober tone during the meeting.
sober up
1/sˈoʊbɚ ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Become less drunk or high
To become less drunk or high after drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
Examples
- He drank some coffee to help him sober up before driving.
- It took him hours to sober up after the party.
stone-cold sober
1/stˈoʊn kˈoʊld sˈoʊbɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
Completely not drunk or high
Totally not affected by alcohol or drugs at all.
Examples
- Despite the party atmosphere, she was stone-cold sober all night.
- I’m stone-cold sober—I can drive us home.