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
Sephardic populations once regularly spoke Judeo-Spanish as an everyday language, reserving the calque variety for religious or instructional contexts.
—
Bryan Kirschen, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
—Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026
Use a slotted spoon to put garlic in jar of a blender, reserving oil in baking dish.
—C.w. Cameron, AJC.com, 22 Mar. 2026
The subjects appear to offer their likenesses without reserving an ounce of modesty; confidence and audacity steel their faces and poses.
—Bryan Barcena, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Officially, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have condemned the attacks while reserving the right to retaliate.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 28 Feb. 2026
Drain cherries, reserving 3/4 cup of the juice.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
Booking direct generally means reserving flights or hotels straight through an airline’s or hotel’s individual website.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Feb. 2026
Restaurant Paul Bocuse A visit to Lyon without reserving a table at the fine dining palace of legendary chef Paul Bocuse is unthinkable for anyone with a passion for food.
—John Brunton, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
Bryan Kirschen, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
—Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026
Use a slotted spoon to put garlic in jar of a blender, reserving oil in baking dish.
—C.w. Cameron, AJC.com, 22 Mar. 2026
The subjects appear to offer their likenesses without reserving an ounce of modesty; confidence and audacity steel their faces and poses.
—Bryan Barcena, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Officially, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have condemned the attacks while reserving the right to retaliate.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 28 Feb. 2026
Drain cherries, reserving 3/4 cup of the juice.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
Booking direct generally means reserving flights or hotels straight through an airline’s or hotel’s individual website.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Feb. 2026
Restaurant Paul Bocuse A visit to Lyon without reserving a table at the fine dining palace of legendary chef Paul Bocuse is unthinkable for anyone with a passion for food.
—John Brunton, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reserving
Verb
-
TripAdvisor is poised to grow as activist investors step up pressure on the travel booking company to adopt a more fluid, active strategy to fuel growth, according to Bank of America.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In 2026, booking a trip at home or abroad can feel laced with uncertainty.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Forget air conditioning and retaining dedicated teachers.—
Laura Einhorn,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Network changes Though Fox is retaining rights to a Saturday package, a league championship series and the World Series, MLB’s national TV landscape also is changing.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The changes are part of an ongoing trend for airlines, which are dedicating more of the scarce real estate on planes to premium seats, as the growth from those higher-end options outpaces sales from regular economy.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Don Philpott, the president of the Wekiva Wilderness Trust, who was recently recognized for dedicating 35,000 hours of volunteering with the Florida Park Service, has spent the last 15 years researching the history of Ethel and the surrounding area.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of complying, the suit claims, his parents responded by hiring lawyers.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Ganong also praised a provision in the bill that would require employers to offer existing employees additional hours before hiring more employees.—
Kaitlin McCallum,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bulls players stopped keeping a keen eye on the standings after going winless in February.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Investors fear that the war will disrupt the Persian Gulf's energy industry for a long time, setting off a punishing wave of global inflation by keeping large amounts of oil and natural gas out of global markets.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Nothing will ever undo the original sin, and devoting your life to ruining someone else’s is a loss for both of you.—
Paula L. Woods,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Tony has fully jumped into our theatre program devoting himself to straight plays and musical theatre.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Iran's players sing the national anthem, holding school bags symbolizing children killed at a school in Minab, before a soccer match between Iran and Nigeria, in Antalya, Turkey, on March 27, 2026.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Temptations to overspend will surface, but the key is holding steady without being rigid.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Long Beach father Rhett Pascual isn't losing hope despite waiting for weeks to be put on the waiting list to receive a life-saving heart transplant.—
Hunter Sowards,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Use hooks to hang tablecloths, saving space and allowing the textiles to be part of your display.—
Kelley Bruss,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reserving. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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