You say that something is a sobering thought or has a sobering effect when a situation seems serious and makes you become serious and thoughtful.
例句
Statistics paint a sobering picture — unemployment, tight credit, lower home values, sluggish job growth.統計數據描繪了一幅不容樂觀的畫面：失業率攀升，信貸從緊，家庭觀念淡薄，就業機會增長緩慢。The events of October 1987 had a sobering effect on managers of large funds.1987 年 10 月的事件令那些管理大量資金的經理變得冷靜了許多。