The most common meaning of sober is that you are not drunk, people who drive must be sober. Sober is a lot like somber and often also means sad and calm, or sometimes too serious. Another meaning is to be logical or realistic about something. For most people, the word “sober” means anyone who isn't intoxicated.
In recovery, however, sobriety has a much fuller definition. Sobriety isn't just about abstaining from using drugs and alcohol. It's about moving toward complete physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. Sobriety is the condition of not having measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs.
Sobriety is also considered the natural state of a human being at birth. A person in a state of sobriety is considered sober. The organizations of the temperance movement have promoted sobriety as a norm in society. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of sober is not getting drunk or abstaining from taking intoxicating drugs or drinking alcohol.
Being sober can also mean abstaining from using addictive substances.
