sobriety

/səˈbraɪəti/ (bre, ipa) · [səbrˈaɪəti] /səˈbraɪəti/ (ame, ipa) · [səbrˈaɪəti] /sə-ˈbrī-ə-tē How to pronounce sobriety (audio) sō-/ (ame, mw)

sobriety — noun

1. the condition of being clear and steady because alcohol is no longer affecting y

1.名詞C1
釋義

the condition of being clear and steady because alcohol is no longer affecting you, or of staying away from alcohol completely after drinking too much in the past

例句

The officer checked Matthew's sobriety before handing back his car keys.

check someone's sobriety before driving

Gita celebrated three years of sobriety with cake and tea.

years of sobriety in recovery contexts

同義詞
  • abstinence

    more formal and broader; can refer to avoiding many things, not just alcohol

  • recovery

    broader process that includes health and daily life, not only avoiding alcohol

  • temperance

    more old-fashioned and often linked to moderation as a moral ideal

反義詞
  • drunkenness

    the state of being affected by alcohol

  • intoxication

    formal term for being under the effects of alcohol or drugs

文法句型

years/months of sobriety

maintain/protect sobriety

check/test someone's sobriety

用法筆記

Often used in addiction-recovery contexts to mean an ongoing period without alcohol. In medical or legal settings, it can also refer to whether someone is currently clear enough to think, speak, or drive safely.

常見錯誤

❌The police checked his sober after the crash.
✅The police checked his sobriety after the crash.
💡After check, use the noun sobriety, not the adjective sober.
❌He kept his sober for three years.
✅He maintained his sobriety for three years.
💡Sobriety is the noun, and it commonly follows verbs like maintain or protect.

2. a serious and controlled way of speaking or behaving, especially when a situatio

2.名詞C2
釋義

a serious and controlled way of speaking or behaving, especially when a situation calls for calm judgment rather than jokes or excitement

例句

After the flood, Joon spoke with sobriety about rebuilding the market.

with sobriety about a serious situation

The funeral music gave sobriety to the small church hall.

give sobriety to a place or event

同義詞
  • seriousness

    broader and more neutral; does not always suggest the same self-control

  • solemnity

    stronger and more ceremonial, often linked to religious or official settings

  • composure

    focuses more on staying calm than on being morally or socially serious

反義詞
  • frivolity

    light and unserious behaviour

  • excitement

    strong lively feeling rather than calm seriousness

文法句型

with sobriety

speak/answer with sobriety

bring/give sobriety to + noun phrase

用法筆記

Mostly used in formal writing for tone, public behaviour, or the atmosphere of an event. Unlike sense 1, this sense has nothing to do with alcohol.

常見錯誤

❌The ceremony had a sobriety mood.
✅The ceremony had a sober mood.
💡Before a noun like mood, English normally uses the adjective sober, not the noun sobriety.
❌Her sobriety means she never laughs.
✅Her sobriety means she speaks and acts seriously.
💡In this sense, sobriety means seriousness and self-control, not sadness or a total lack of warmth.