RESERVES Synonyms: 146 Similar and Opposite Words

reserves 1 of 2

noun

Definition of reserves next

plural of reserve

as in deposits

a collection of things kept available for future use or need our fuel reserves are low

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Relevance

as in substitutes

a person or thing that takes the place of another when the first brigade fell back in retreat, the commander sent out the reserves to try to hold the line of battle

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as in spares

an interchangeable part or piece of equipment that is kept on hand for replacement of an original don't throw that extra bike chain away, as I want to keep it as a reserve in case the current one breaks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reserves

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of reserve

as in books

to arrange to have something (as a hotel room) held for one's future use we made sure to reserve a kennel for our dog several months before the start of the family vacation

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as in retains

to continue to have in one's possession or power I'm reserving the right to work by myself if you don't do your share of the project

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as in dedicates

to keep or intend for a special purpose we must reserve this cup for ceremonial use only

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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 reserves

Noun

Overseas, the Journal reports an unprecedented legal arrangement for the US to take out a two-year lease renewable for 99 years on a 4,000-acre site in the Philippines, a key ally, and turn it into a high-tech manufacturing hub to draw on the country’s rich reserves of cobalt, copper, and nickel. —

Andy Browne, semafor.com, 21 Apr. 2026 China reached record-high oil production last year, as companies pumped more from aging oil fields, put new technology to use on sprawling offshore reserves in China’s Bohai Sea, and continued to drill boreholes miles deep into oilfields in far western Xinjiang in search of more supplies. —

Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026 Energy crisis around the world Although gas prices remain high for American consumers, Asian and European nations are fairing far worse, with depleting oil reserves forcing some life-altering measures. —

Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026 Of course, Indiana closed fiscal year 2025 with a $676 million surplus and billions in reserves, which makes these sorts of decisions possible. —

The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 Within China, which has great oil reserves and where prices are more tightly controlled by the state, logistics costs have risen by a much lesser degree, topping out at 15 percent. —

Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026 According to the 2026 trustees' report, the Social Security Administration is projected to deplete those reserves in 2033. —

David McMillin, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026 When those energy reserves aren’t being used or a person has a metabolic disease such as Type 2 diabetes, fat begins to build up, particularly in streaks between the muscles. —

Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026 Over the seven games, only once (Game 5) did Denver’s reserves outscore Minnesota’s (16-15). —

Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2026

Verb

Station reserves the right to substitute prize of comparable value. —

Cbs La Staff, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Israeli forces will not withdraw from positions in southern Lebanon, and a Hezbollah official warned the group reserves the right to respond to attacks. —

Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026 Swiss Air's Air Rail service seamlessly reserves both airfare and train tickets on one booking. —

Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026 While Adebayo was named NBA East Player of the Week in the days after his scoring binge, the league reserves its weekly and monthly awards for players on teams with superior records. —

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026 The government usually reserves such an agreement for lawbreaking corporations to avoid putting large employers out of business — not for fugitive billionaires. —

Avi Asher-Schapiro, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026 Later Tuesday, a spokesperson for the FTA confirmed the agency did not plan to withhold federal funds from the CTA over safety issues, although the agency reserves the right to do so in the future. —

Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026 Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. —

AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026 The ministry added that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to take measures to protect its security, including responding to aggression. —

Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reserves

Noun

The study got its start when co-author Brian Gootee, a geologist with the Arizona Geological Survey, noticed a resemblance between sand deposits downstream of the Grand Canyon and in the Bidahochi—both contained pink, rounded grains that seemed to have been transported by the same river.

— Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
The highest crests of Shackleton’s rim offer the advantage of near-continuous sunlight, providing a lander or future Moon base a stable source of solar power right next to a crater floor in eternal shadow, where temperatures are cold enough to preserve ancient ice deposits.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 Apr. 2026