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
Transfer chicken to a plate, skin sides up, reserving drippings in skillet.
—
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 2 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, cut the stems from the fennel, reserving 1 tablespoon of fronds.
—Kate Williams, AJC.com, 1 Feb. 2026
There is no rental fee for reserving a golf bay, but inquiries ahead of time are required and a food and beverage minimum will apply.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Bessette-Kennedy favored practical shoes for moving through her neighborhood (walking the dog, running errands), reserving heels for galas and other more formal occasions.
—Julia Rabinowitsch, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026
Using a shallow dish, dredge the chops in flour, shaking off any excess and reserving some flour for the gravy.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
—Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Transfer chicken to a plate, reserving drippings in skillet; set chicken aside.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Travelers can earn reward points by reserving spots online through the Royalty Program, which has more than 250,000 participants.
—Charlotte Observer, 15 Jan. 2026
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 2 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, cut the stems from the fennel, reserving 1 tablespoon of fronds.
—Kate Williams, AJC.com, 1 Feb. 2026
There is no rental fee for reserving a golf bay, but inquiries ahead of time are required and a food and beverage minimum will apply.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Bessette-Kennedy favored practical shoes for moving through her neighborhood (walking the dog, running errands), reserving heels for galas and other more formal occasions.
—Julia Rabinowitsch, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026
Using a shallow dish, dredge the chops in flour, shaking off any excess and reserving some flour for the gravy.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
—Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Transfer chicken to a plate, reserving drippings in skillet; set chicken aside.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Travelers can earn reward points by reserving spots online through the Royalty Program, which has more than 250,000 participants.
—Charlotte Observer, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reserving
Verb
-
Officially named The Omni Homestead Resort & Spa—locals call it The Homestead—booking these rural accommodations is the perfect way to relax and reconnect during a long weekend.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The organization has booking options like door-to-door service from San Francisco, and a stay within the park boundary.—
Mary Beth Skylis,
Outside,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For indoor houseplants, avoid potting mix that contains fertilizers or moisture-retaining material, sometimes called moisture beads.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The ultra-soft, heat-retaining fabric stretches close to the body, trapping warmth efficiently and making long evenings at Copenhagen’s Christmas markets far more enjoyable.—
Michelle Tchea,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When attention is this constrained, dedicating visual bandwidth to representational cues necessarily displaces something else.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Moscow has so far avoided the collapse that experts had predicted after sanctions were imposed over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, largely by dedicating huge spending to defense.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That builds on similar trends throughout 2025, when the industry buoyed an otherwise slow labor market, as the nation’s hospitals, clinics and nursing homes kept hiring even as many employers pulled back.—
Abha Bhattarai,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The impact is expected to hit the bottom of the employment pyramid hardest, with research finding big drops in hiring among 22- to 25-year-olds in tech and customer service, The Economist reported.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The basic things — paying the electric bill, going to the doctor, keeping a roof over your head — get more expensive every day, while wages stay rock-bottom and jobs get harder and harder to find.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The five preceding episodes depicted Louie’s worsening health, with Harden keeping a dignified smile on Louie’s face but also moving a little slower and admitting to more pain.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Firm research shows mom-and-pop investors are typically devoting only a small portion of their overall portfolios to these speculative plays, while keeping most of their money in more traditional investments.—
Yun Li,Kate Rooney,Alex Harring,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
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The state is devoting $50 million in federal grant funding this year to cancer screening, prevention and treatment.—
Virginia Barreda,
Des Moines Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Reality Check is a Star series holding those with power to account and shining a light on their decisions.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
-
FedEx and private equity investor Advent International will both each own 37 percent of shares in the company, with investment firms A&R and PPF holding 16 percent and 10 percent stakes, respectively.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The administration says this is a cost-saving solution for Americans at a time when rising energy bills are causing concern around the country.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
-
While putting a chair in a parking spot may seem like a simple gesture, saving spaces has created friction among residents.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reserving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reserving. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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