Even if you are sober

One of our favorite words in journalese is “sobering.” It’s one of those words you rarely use in everyday speech — unless you’re a bartender. You only see it in news stories. Our dictionary definition: “This is going to wake you up even if you never drink or are already sober.” What brings this up is the Boston Globe’s page 1, top story headline, June 17, 2020:

“As virus surges in other states,
a sobering reminder for Mass.”

File under: I’ll drink to that!