booking

noun

book·​ing ˈbu̇-kiŋ 

1

: the act of one that books

2

: an engagement or scheduled performance

3

: reservation sense 1c

Examples of booking in a Sentence

She has several concert bookings this fall.

The comedian missed some bookings because of illness.

All booking is done by the band's manager.

Recent Examples on the Web

First, there are the big-name athletes to find and woo into competing on the streets of the UK’s capital, then the pace-makers, the notable debutants, and the tantalising head-to-heads to create; there’s the hotel bookings, the visas, the flights, the prize money and even bonuses to ponder over. —Liam Tharme, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026

Even cruise bookings are getting simplified. —Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026

Despite higher fares, Delta says bookings remain strong, with demand — particularly for premium seats — continuing to rise, according to CNBC. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026

While passage through the canal usually comes at a flat rate via reservations, companies without bookings can pay more to cross through an auction that awards slots to the highest bidder. —Alma Solis, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing booking

• booking office

Rhymes for booking

• brooking
• cooking
• hooking
• looking
• overlooking

Legal Definition

booking

noun

book·​ing

: a procedure at a jail or police station following an arrest in which information about the arrest (as the time, the name of the arrested person, and the crime for which the arrest was made) is entered in the police register

Note: The arrested person is usually photographed and fingerprinted at the time of the booking.