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reserved

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verb

past tense of reserve

Synonym Chooser

How is the word reserved distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of reserved are reticent, secretive, silent, and taciturn. While all these words mean "showing restraint in speaking," reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

When could reticent be used to replace reserved?

While the synonyms reticent and reserved are close in meaning, reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

When would secretive be a good substitute for reserved?

In some situations, the words secretive and reserved are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When is it sensible to use silent instead of reserved?

The meanings of silent and reserved largely overlap; however, silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

Where would taciturn be a reasonable alternative to reserved?

While in some cases nearly identical to reserved, taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of reserved
Adjective
Stir in vanilla and the reserved 1/4 cup sauce. Emily Teel, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2025 Vista’s Chad Baker and his among those who paid a slight parking premium for the privilege of the reserved spot. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025
Verb
The 97-unit building, with studios to three-bedroom penthouses, features finishes and layouts typically reserved for condominiums, 17 private terraces, and a penthouse commanding $35,000 per month. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2025 Because fiber-optic drones are harder to produce, they are typically reserved for high-value strikes or for disabling jamming systems to clear the way for cheaper FPVs. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reserved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reserved
Adjective
  • Designed for comfort and performance, this exercise bike uses magnetic resistance for a silent, frictionless ride.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Those reasons will spill out over time — certainly the silent Jem won’t interrupt.
    Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What To Know Xavier Donaldson, defense attorney for Combs, addressed reports that his client had booked speaking appearances in Miami for next week, seemingly in anticipation of a light sentence.
    Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The suspect was booked on two counts of first-degree murder and is being held on a $2 million cash-only bond.
    Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Sébastien Lecornu resigned Monday after announcing a cabinet that largely retained the same ministers as under his unpopular predecessor, triggering a backlash.
    Ana Nicolaci da Costa, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Like Renshaw, Harris was a backup on the last Ashes tour, albeit he was retained for all five Tests.
    Sam Dalling, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The monument, dedicated in 2018, is on campus between Reed Hall and Jarvis Hall.
    Hollace Ava Weiner, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
  • In 2018, Hov dedicated a bench in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park to his grandmother.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In the after-hours, the black faille number styled with a silky lime-green tank top was at once restrained and opulent, just great for a night out.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
  • In practice, despite his rhetoric, Israel’s longest serving prime minister’s security policy was widely seen as cautious and relatively restrained, even derided as cowardly by political rivals, who also mocked his inability to make decisive moves.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The 2-year-old appears to have gotten out into the backyard and opened a kennel where two Rottweilers were being kept, allowing the dogs to get out and attack him, the Valdosta Police Department said in a statement.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Arsenal kept the ball for another minute and quietened the home crowd to get a better feel for the game.
    Art de Roché, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Mendelson couldn't be more excited for a new audience to learn about the legend who rewrote Hollywood's rules, captivated crowds and devoted her platform to the AIDS crisis.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The Biden administration devoted billions of dollars to building a domestic supply chain for critical minerals and called for half of all new cars to be electric or hybrid by 2030.
    Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • So many of Black Rabbit’s subplots are confusing, boring, or dumb.
    Andrew Bernard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Luis Jauregui, a professor at UC Irvine, is an expert in quantum physics who is smart enough to describe his work in terms that are foreign to a non-scientist, yet affable enough to explain it anyway, without making any non-scientist feel dumb.
    Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reserved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reserved. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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