sobering

adjective

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

Examples of sobering in a Sentence

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.
This is a sobering stretch in a lost season for the Mets, whose status as trade-deadline sellers underscores how much went wrong for a team once with World Series aspirations. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026 All-in-all, the Australian incident of space balls is another sobering reminder that space activities don't end when a mission does, Hanlon concluded. — Leonard David, Space.com, 22 July 2026 History has run this experiment before, and the result is sobering. — Srini Attili, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Instead, his horrendous tactics were even more cautious, negative and sobering. — The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sobering

Word History

First Known Use

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 7 Aug. 2026.

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