How to pronounce sober
Say it like SOH-ber. Sober has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sober. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SOH
- ber
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sober pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- berKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of sober
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: SOH-buh.
What does sober mean?
- not affected by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
- dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises“a grave God-fearing man”“a quiet sedate nature”
- lacking brightness or color; dull“drab faded curtains”“sober Puritan grey”
- cause to become sober“A sobering thought”
- become more realistic“After thinking about the potential consequences of his plan, he sobered up”
- become sober after excessive alcohol consumption“Keep him in bed until he sobers up”
Where does sober come from?
Inherited from Middle English sober, from Old French sobre, from Latin sōbrius, from se- (“without”) + ebrius (“intoxicated”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁egʷʰ- (“drink”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying sober
How do you pronounce sober?
Say SOH-ber. The American pronunciation is /ˈsoʊbɚ/. In British English it is /ˈsəʊbə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sober?
Sober has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SOH). Broken into parts: SOH · ber.
Is sober pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈsəʊbə/ (SOH-buh).