booking

noun

book·​ing ˈbu̇-kiŋ How to pronounce booking (audio)
Synonyms of bookingnext
1
: the act of one that books
2
: an engagement or scheduled performance
3

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During the booking process, inmate fingerprints are automatically entered into a database accessible by all local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including ICE. Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 9 Mar. 2026 Those kind of bookings brought a much wider audience to Humphreys than the wine-and-cheese crowd that came to hear KIFM acts. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026 The booking company found that this spring break, flight searches to Hilo are up 60 percent and that airfare is down 26 percent, when compared to last year. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026 Accommodations fill fast during blossom season, so advance booking is essential. Alexandra Gillespie, Outside, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for booking

Word History

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of booking was in 1790

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Cite this Entry

“Booking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/booking. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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.

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