sobriety •\sə-ˈbri-ə-te, so-\• noun 1. the state of not being intoxicated by alcohol 2. moderation in or abstinence from alcohol or other drugs 3. abstaining from excess 4. a manner that is serious and solemn The word sobriety has appeared in 123 New York Times articles in the past year, including on April 18 in "Making the Most of His Gifts and Flaws" by Richard Sandomir: As I left my first encounter with Summerall, feeling a bit numb, he slapped me on the back as if I were a pal leaving the saloon at 4 in the morning. "Use whatever you want!" he said. Not much of it would have found its way into The New York Times. He never asked to go off the record. But I sensed, as others did, that he needed protection from his impulse to be candid. He had a reputation for drinking that worried friends and relatives. He was also a great storyteller. Both sides were evident that morning. Soon after, he entered the Betty Ford Center to treat his alcoholism. Years later, long into his sobriety and shortly after his liver transplant, I asked him if he remembered our meeting in Minnesota. But it sounds like me. Learn more about the word "sobriety" and see usage examples across a range of subjects on the Vocabulary dictionary.