1
as in booking
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in retaining
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dedicating
to keep or intend for a special purpose
we must reserve this cup for ceremonial use only
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reserving
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
—
Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a small bowl; reserving drippings in Dutch oven.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
These venues, too, have become destinations unto themselves, with locals often reserving a table to celebrate special occasions with friends and family.
—Yukari Sakamoto, AFAR Media, 24 Sep. 2025
Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
Or, try reserving one of the two rustic Windigo Camper Cabins.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2025
Of course, Sullivan recognizes the holes that could leave in other parts of the lineup and is reserving the right to change his mind.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2025
Like Mendocino, Elk rewards those who take a slower pace, reserving its magic for those who put their phones in their pockets and look around.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Some funeral expenses aren’t negotiable, though, including transporting the body, reserving the facility and booking the service.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2025
Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a small bowl; reserving drippings in Dutch oven.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
These venues, too, have become destinations unto themselves, with locals often reserving a table to celebrate special occasions with friends and family.
—Yukari Sakamoto, AFAR Media, 24 Sep. 2025
Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
Or, try reserving one of the two rustic Windigo Camper Cabins.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2025
Of course, Sullivan recognizes the holes that could leave in other parts of the lineup and is reserving the right to change his mind.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2025
Like Mendocino, Elk rewards those who take a slower pace, reserving its magic for those who put their phones in their pockets and look around.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Some funeral expenses aren’t negotiable, though, including transporting the body, reserving the facility and booking the service.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reserving
Verb
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For Americans working with limited PTO, that predictability can be the difference between researching and booking a hair transplant in Turkey.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Previously, applicants had more flexibility in booking appointments in third-party countries.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Of course, this requires an incredible sense of equilibrium in the vineyard, including pinpointing when the grapes have reached full ripeness while still retaining a very high level of acidity, leaving a very small window for picking.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
5 Oct. 2025
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Mulch has many benefits in the garden, like retaining soil moisture, insulating roots, and deterring weeds.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Cruise lines are now dedicating some of their newest and largest ships to these shorter itineraries.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
There have been cautionary tales on that front in the past, with the Cup-less Leafs dedicating 50 percent of their cap to their Core Four in the flat-cap era standing out as one good (or bad) example.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In hiring Steve Cooper and then Nuno Espirito Santo, while investing money and overhauling the squad as Forest qualified for Europe for the first time in three decades, Marinakis was making good decisions.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Judging by the immediate reactions following the show, hiring one of the few great couturiers of this generation is a good start.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In their 11 matches in all competitions, Arne Slot’s side have scored eight goals in the 83rd minute or later, with those late strikes keeping results on track but masking defensive deficiencies and a lack of coherence, at times, in attack.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
For the first half of her tenure, Engelbert seemed to enjoy a positive relationship with the players, securing major corporate partners, working with the union on a collective-bargaining agreement that looked historic at the time, keeping the league afloat during the COVID pandemic.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Michaels is devoting about 25% of space in its stores to this new venture while also launching a party concept.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
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Already, boards are devoting more time and attention to discussing the use of AI within their organizations, including more than 62% of directors who reported participating in full-board discussions about AI policies for their companies.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Almost as a cry for help, just holding onto her last bit of identity and not having a lot of time to do things on her own time.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In case that wasn't enough of a wink from the show's creators, there's a scene in the finale where the head nurse at the institution holding Gein advises him to write a book, noting that so many other people have taken liberties with his story.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Front man Coleman cuts a tall, brooding figure, saving his emotions for his vocal delivery and occasional pronouncements on the importance of faith.—
Brian McCollum,
Freep.com,
5 Oct. 2025
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The machine has a sleek, space-saving design, with a water tank positioned behind the unit.—
Mark Marino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reserving. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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