reserved

adjective

re·​served ri-ˈzərvd 

1

: restrained in words and actions

2

: kept or set apart or aside for future or special use

reservedly

ri-ˈzər-vəd-lē 

adverb

reservedness

ri-ˈzər-vəd-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of reserved

• silent
• restrained
• dumb

Choose the Right Synonym for reserved

silent, taciturn, reticent, reserved, secretive mean showing restraint in speaking.

silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

secretive, too, implies reticence but usually carries a suggestion of deviousness and lack of frankness or of an often ostentatious will to conceal.

the secretive research and development division

Examples of reserved in a Sentence

She is a very reserved young woman.

The front row is reserved for faculty.

Recent Examples on the Web

That turn in the national spotlight was in stark contrast to Hughes’ reserved nature. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026

The way the actress moves through space physically gives even the most frenetic sequences an athletic, almost ethereal sense of direction, and Tung’s reserved ferocity doesn’t so much add to the spectacle as justify it. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026

Shayla was more reserved, often scrolling quietly on her phone. —Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026

Add reserved fennel bulb and mix again to combine. —Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reserved

• reserved power

Rhymes for reserved

• underserved
• undeserved
• unobserved
• unreserved
• conserved
• decurved
• deserved
• incurved
• observed
• preserved
• recurved
• subserved

Kids Definition

reserved

adjective

re·​served ri-ˈzərvd 

1

: cautious in words and actions

a reserved young man

2

: kept or set apart or aside for future or special use

a reserved table

reservedly

-ˈzər-vəd-lē 

adverb

reservedness

-ˈzər-vəd-nəs

noun