reserve
1 of 2verb
re·serve ri-ˈzərv 
reserved; reserving
transitive verb
1
a
: to hold in reserve : keep back
reserve grain for seed
b
: to set aside (part of the consecrated elements) at the Eucharist for future use
c
: to retain or hold over to a future time or place : defer
reserve one's judgment on a plan
d
: to make legal reservation of
2
: to set or have set aside or apart
reserve a hotel room
reservable
ri-ˈzər-və-bəl
adjective reserve
2 of 2noun
often attributive
1
: something reserved or set aside for a particular purpose, use, or reason: such as
a(1)
: a military force withheld from action for later decisive use —usually used in plural
(2)
: forces not in the field but available
(3)
: the military forces of a country not part of the regular services
also : reservist
b
: a tract (as of public land) set apart : reservation
2
: something stored or kept available for future use or need : stock
3
: an act of reserving : qualification
4
a
: restraint, closeness, or caution in one's words and actions
b
: forbearance from making a full explanation, complete disclosure, or free expression of one's mind
5
archaic : secret
6
a
: money or its equivalent kept in hand or set apart usually to meet liabilities
b
: the liquid resources of a nation for meeting international payments
7
: substitute
8
: reserve price
9
: a wine made from select grapes, bottled on the maker's premises, and aged differently from the maker's other wines of the same vintage
Synonyms
Verb
- bespeak
- book
Noun
- constraint
- continence
- discipline
- discretion
- inhibition
- refrainment
- repression
- restraint
- self-command
- self-control
- self-restraint
- suppression
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb We reserved a hotel room. This table is reserved for someone else. The seats are reserved under my name. We will reserve this wine for a special occasion. She usually reserved her best dishes for very important dinners. Noun He had to call upon his inner reserves of strength to keep going. the salesclerk showed great reserve in dealing with the unreasonable demands of the angry customer See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 23 Aug. 2022 There should be no restrictions on the frequency of how often someone can check for appointments, as well as a mobile-friendly way to reserve them. Mohak Nahta, Forbes, 19 July 2022 The government has made attempts to appease the protesters, such as promising to reserve 10% vacancies in select paramilitary forces for the soldiers who don’t make it to the permanent roles. Shefali Anand, WSJ, 20 June 2022 Guests will need to reserve their spots in advance and adhere to safety and security procedures in place at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base for the event, including metal detector scans. Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 1 Apr. 2022 The event is free but those hoping to attend should reserve tickets in advance. Claire Rafford, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Apr. 2022 The most important step, though, is to reserve the car far in advance of the trip. Chris Morris, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2022 In any case, the She-Hulk series, which lands this year on Disney +, could reserve some ‘what the duck; surprises! Chris Smith, BGR, 20 Feb. 2022 Call ahead to reserve a tasting at Tierra de Peña to enjoy sheep’s cheese from neighboring farms and other personal touches. Simone Jacobson, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2022 Baxter is certifiably the only Rock & Roll Hall of Famer who spent 15 years as a specialist reserve officer with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Anti-Terrorist Division. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2022 Johnson began volunteering as a reserve officer in Woodstock Police Department, then he was hired as a full time Bibb County Sheriff Deputy in August 2014. Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 8 July 2022 In addition to his academic perspective on law enforcement, Nhan’s been a reserve officer with the Fort Worth Police Department since graduating from the academy less than a year ago. Mitchell Willetts, Anchorage Daily News, 3 June 2022 Avalos, a reserve officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, has held his position in the mayor’s office for more than seven years. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2022 In 1948, he was asked to return to active service as a reserve officer. cincinnati.com, 26 May 2022 The man had served as a volunteer reserve officer for the department for more than a year and was qualified for the job, the complaint said. Jennifer Calfas, WSJ, 26 Apr. 2022 The central government will also take 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) out of its reserve fund for drought relief, focusing on securing rice production during the key mid-season harvest for rice in the southern region. Laura He, CNN, 25 Aug. 2022 See More
Verb
Detroit switched Williams to reserve status in advance of Tuesday’s 3 p.m. CDT roster deadline. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 23 Aug. 2022 There should be no restrictions on the frequency of how often someone can check for appointments, as well as a mobile-friendly way to reserve them. Mohak Nahta, Forbes, 19 July 2022 The government has made attempts to appease the protesters, such as promising to reserve 10% vacancies in select paramilitary forces for the soldiers who don’t make it to the permanent roles. Shefali Anand, WSJ, 20 June 2022 Guests will need to reserve their spots in advance and adhere to safety and security procedures in place at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base for the event, including metal detector scans. Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 1 Apr. 2022 The event is free but those hoping to attend should reserve tickets in advance. Claire Rafford, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Apr. 2022 The most important step, though, is to reserve the car far in advance of the trip. Chris Morris, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2022 In any case, the She-Hulk series, which lands this year on Disney +, could reserve some ‘what the duck; surprises! Chris Smith, BGR, 20 Feb. 2022 Call ahead to reserve a tasting at Tierra de Peña to enjoy sheep’s cheese from neighboring farms and other personal touches. Simone Jacobson, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 Noun
County staff said Seminole has had to dig into reserve funds to cover the rising costs of inflation and fuel prices to reimburse the garbage haulers. Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2022 Baxter is certifiably the only Rock & Roll Hall of Famer who spent 15 years as a specialist reserve officer with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Anti-Terrorist Division. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2022 Johnson began volunteering as a reserve officer in Woodstock Police Department, then he was hired as a full time Bibb County Sheriff Deputy in August 2014. Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 8 July 2022 In addition to his academic perspective on law enforcement, Nhan’s been a reserve officer with the Fort Worth Police Department since graduating from the academy less than a year ago. Mitchell Willetts, Anchorage Daily News, 3 June 2022 Avalos, a reserve officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, has held his position in the mayor’s office for more than seven years. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2022 In 1948, he was asked to return to active service as a reserve officer. cincinnati.com, 26 May 2022 The man had served as a volunteer reserve officer for the department for more than a year and was qualified for the job, the complaint said. Jennifer Calfas, WSJ, 26 Apr. 2022 The central government will also take 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) out of its reserve fund for drought relief, focusing on securing rice production during the key mid-season harvest for rice in the southern region. Laura He, CNN, 25 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French reserver, from Latin reservare, literally, to keep back, from re- + servare to keep — more at conserve
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing reserve
Kids Definition
reserve 1 of 2
verb
re·serve ri-ˈzərv
reserved; reserving
1
: to arrange to have set aside and held for someone's use
I called to reserve a hotel room.
2
: to keep in store for special use
She believed that Sundays should be reserved for family activities. Carl Hiaasen, Hoot
Carl Hiaasen, Hoot3
: to keep from using until a future time
We need to reserve our strength.
4
: to hold over to a future time or place
Reserve judgment until you know the facts.
reserve
2 of 2noun
1
reserves plural : military forces held back or available for later use
2
: an area of land set apart
a nature reserve
3
: caution in words and behavior
4
: something stored for future use
oil reserves
5
: an act of setting something aside for future use
Medical Definition
reserve 1 of 2
noun
re·serve ri-ˈzərv
1
: something stored or kept available for future use or need
oxygen reserve
see cardiac reserve 2
: the capacity of a solution to neutralize alkali or acid when its reaction is shifted from one hydrogen-ion concentration to another
especially : the capacity of blood or bacteriological media to react with acid or alkali within predetermined and usually physiological limits of hydrogen-ion concentration compare buffer, buffer solution
reserve
2 of 2adjective
: constituting or having the form or function of a reserve
a reserve supply
reserve strength
Legal Definition
reserve 1 of 2
transitive verb
re·serve
reserved; reserving
: to keep back or set apart: as
a
: to keep (a right, power, or interest) especially by express declaration
all rights reserved
compare waive b
: to defer a determination of (a question of law)
the justices reserved the question because it was not an issue in the case
reserve
2 of 2noun
1
: something stored or kept available for future use
an energy company with various unproven oil reserves
2
: an act of reserving
3
: money kept in a separate account to meet future liabilities
— legal reserve
: the minimum amount as determined by government standards of the deposits held by a bank or of the assets of a life insurance company required by law to be kept as reserves
— loss reserve
: a reserve allocated by a bank for the purpose of absorbing losses a loan loss reserve
: an insurance company's reserve representing the discounted value of future payments to be made on losses which may have already occurred
— policy reserve
: an insurance company's reserve representing the difference in value between the net premiums and assumed claims for a given year in life insurance
— unearned premium reserve
: a reserve of funds which represents premiums paid to an insurance company but not yet applied to policy coverage and from which a policyholder is paid a refund in the event of cancellation prior to the period for which premiums have been paid
4
: reserve price
reserve 1 of 2
noun
1
as in restraint
the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others the salesclerk showed great reserve in dealing with the unreasonable demands of the angry customer Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- restraint
- discipline
- suppression
- discretion
- inhibition
- composure
- constraint
- repression
- refrainment
- possession
- control
- will
- self-restraint
- self-control
- self-command
- willpower
- continence
- silence
- mastery
- reticence
- command
- distance
- self-poise
- taciturnity
- aloofness
- modesty
- bashfulness
- self-discipline
- self-possession
- shyness
- self-containment
- self-mastery
- detachedness
- self-government
- self-censorship
- self-denial
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unconstraint
- disinhibition
- uninhibitedness
- indulgence
- incontinence
- gratification
- frankness
- candor
- unrestrainedness
- overindulgence
- bluntness
- intemperance
- self-abandonment
- self-indulgence
- immoderacy
2
as in supply
a collection of things kept available for future use or need our fuel reserves are low Synonyms & Similar Words
- supply
- deposit
- hoard
- store
- cache
- collection
- reservoir
- bank
- fund
- stockpile
- budget
- stock
- arsenal
- pool
- nest egg
- gathering
- accumulation
- armory
- assemblage
3
as in substitute
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- substitute
- replacement
- backup
- surrogate
- assistant
- cover
- sub
- alternate
- pinch hitter
- stand-in
- relief
- fill-in
- designated hitter
- delegate
- locum tenens
- proxy
- deputy
- understudy
- representative
- commissary
- second
- agent
- makeshift
- rep
- attorney
- apology
- assignee
- stopgap
- successor
- factor
- reliever
- superseder
- envoy
- procurator
4
as in spare
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- spare
- backup
- substitute
- replacement
- extra
- double
- stock
- copy
- reproduction
- duplicate
- carbon copy
- dummy
- clone
- replication
- replica
- dupe
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- prototype
- original
- archetype
reserve
2 of 2verb
1
as in to book
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
- book
- hire
- retain
- earmark
- contract
- bespeak
- engage
2
as in to retain
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
- retain
- keep
- hold
- preserve
- withhold
- save
- conserve
- possess
- protect
- have
- guard
- enjoy
- hold on to
- own
- hang on to
- control
- manage
- rule
- treasure
- direct
- detain
- harbor
- boast
- cherish
- command
- hug
- bear
- cling (to)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- relinquish
- surrender
- yield
- release
- drop
- contribute
- abandon
- give
- give up
- donate
- cede
- discard
- reject
- dump
- hand over
- decline
- lose
- repudiate
- hand out
- spurn
3
as in to dedicate
to keep or intend for a special purpose we must reserve this cup for ceremonial use only Synonyms & Similar Words
- dedicate
- devote
- save
- allocate
- set apart
- earmark
- use
- set by
- consecrate
- set aside
- give up (to)
- consign
- sanctify
- entrust
- employ
- bless
- apply
- hallow
- intrust
- commit
- confide
- bestow
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignore
- neglect
- misuse
- misapply
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of reserve are detain, keep, retain, and withhold. While all these words mean "to hold in one's possession or under one's control," reserve suggests a keeping in store for future use.
reserve some of your energy for the last mile
While the synonyms detain and reserve are close in meaning, detain suggests a delay in letting go.
detained them for questioning
The meanings of keep and reserve largely overlap; however, keep may suggest a holding securely in one's possession, custody, or control.
keep this while I'm gone
In some situations, the words retain and reserve are roughly equivalent. However, retain implies continued keeping, especially against threatened seizure or forced loss.
managed to retain their dignity even in poverty
The words withhold and reserve are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, withhold implies restraint in letting go or a refusal to let go.
withheld information from the authorities