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
The gunman entered the hotel by simply reserving a room there, and gained easy access through one layer of defenses but not beyond that.
—
Juliette Kayyem, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
Transfer chicken to a plate skin-side up, reserving drippings in skillet; set aside.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Remove and discard the rind, reserving the broth.
—Kate Williams, AJC.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Reserve a parking spot Fans heading into Pittsburgh can check real-time availability on ParkPGH, but Visit Pittsburgh recommends reserving a spot on a platform like ParkWhiz.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Political systems have a way of reserving the best seats for politicians.
—Antony Davies, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
Visitors are flush with options, whether choosing a poolside lounger at the Aliée Swim Club—open only to members and guests—or reserving a table at any of the five restaurants.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
Instead of reserving blush strictly for your cheeks, try dabbing a small amount underneath your eyes.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in egg and buttermilk, reserving 1 tablespoon of liquid in the jug.
—Judy Bart Kancigor, Oc Register, 9 Apr. 2026
Juliette Kayyem, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
Transfer chicken to a plate skin-side up, reserving drippings in skillet; set aside.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Remove and discard the rind, reserving the broth.
—Kate Williams, AJC.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Reserve a parking spot Fans heading into Pittsburgh can check real-time availability on ParkPGH, but Visit Pittsburgh recommends reserving a spot on a platform like ParkWhiz.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Political systems have a way of reserving the best seats for politicians.
—Antony Davies, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
Visitors are flush with options, whether choosing a poolside lounger at the Aliée Swim Club—open only to members and guests—or reserving a table at any of the five restaurants.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
Instead of reserving blush strictly for your cheeks, try dabbing a small amount underneath your eyes.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in egg and buttermilk, reserving 1 tablespoon of liquid in the jug.
—Judy Bart Kancigor, Oc Register, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reserving
Verb
-
Despite higher ticket prices, travelers are booking tickets in record numbers at many airlines.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The National Park Journey Planner app can help with routing, scheduling, and booking options for public transit.—
Andrea Bussell,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His fund has posted disappointing returns and the high costs of retaining talent and building out necessary infrastructure made continuing the firm too difficult, Sandler wrote.—
Hema Parmar,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
These containers ditch the plastic in favor of silicone while retaining the same look and benefits of classic deli containers—namely, their stackability, one-size-fits-all lid, and lightweight feel.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Inspired by the way a cloud drifts on to hover over somewhere new, head chef Jens Madsen creates a seasonal menu, dedicating each year to the flavors of a specific region.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
At his Heisman Trophy ceremony in December, Fernando Mendoza shouted out his mother, dedicating the award to her.—
Mason Leib,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then last June, the Nuggets snatched Wallace back from Minnesota, hiring him as their new co-general manager alongside his friend Ben Tenzer — another longtime Connelly disciple who’d been a steady hand behind the scenes in Denver’s front office since 2013.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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The proposals also call for hiring consultants and requiring regular reports on the transition.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Eagles seem intent on keeping DeJean at nickel.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
But for the moment, with Russia and the military alliance at odds over Ukraine but not at war, pilots on both sides just watched and filmed each other — keeping their distance like wary tomcats with claws unsheathed, their missiles visible but not used.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By the 1970s, editors tried to distinguish their op-ed pages from others, but most adopted the common practice of devoting most, if not all, of their op-ed pages to outside voices.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
-
Former Canadiens captain Yvan Cournoyer entered the Bell Centre from that plaza holding a torch, walked it into the building and the arena bowl, setting off the Canadiens’ traditional playoff ritual of the ice catching fire, and the building roared.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The top of his head drilled Bona’s chest, and the Celtics guard crumbled to the court, holding his neck.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lifetime habits of saving and cautious spending are hard to break.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Skipping payments is not an unintentional consequence of saving for debt settlement, though.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reserving. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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