It was a sobering thought.soberingso‧ber‧ing /ˈsəʊbərɪŋ $ ˈsoʊ-/ adjective 
It was a sobering thought. The news had a sobering effect.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a sobering thought
- The news had a sobering effect on all of us.
- At Cosford I received a sobering shock, being beaten by Lincoln Asquith in the 60 metres.
- He does a similarly good job on energy, with some sobering figures on inefficiency and the build-up of toxic waste.
- However, undoubtedly the night air would have had a sobering effect, especially as the walk was some 2¾ miles long.
- It was a sobering thought, but one that was whipped out of her mind by Travis's return.
- Neither of them could be described as a sobering influence.
- Once again he was in the sobering presence of violent death.
- Zamaron bought the paintings of both Modigliani and Utrillo and let them out after a sobering night in the cells.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY It was a sobering thought.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
making you feel very serious: It was a sobering thought. (=making you feel serious and worried or frightened)· They passed the armed guard, a grim reminder of the ever-present threat of terrorism.
(=one that makes you feel serious)· We have the power to destroy the world, which is a sobering thought.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· It was a sobering thought, but one that was whipped out of her mind by Travis's return.· No, it's not a sobering thought, it's a weird one.
It was a sobering thought. The news had a sobering effect.