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Synonyms

in reserve

Idioms  

  1. Kept back, set aside, or saved. For example, We have a fair amount of cash in reserve, or The coach decided to keep the best player in reserve until the last quarter. [Late 1600s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Australia holds roughly 37 days' worth of petrol in reserve, according to government figures, far below the 90-day minimum dictated by the International Energy Agency.

From Barron's

The island explored the possibility of new notes in 2025, but Treasury says there are still large stocks of the D‑class family – the current design - in reserve.

From BBC

Meanwhile, chip makers have some supply in reserve.

From MarketWatch

While major chip makers have some helium supply in reserve, there’s some uncertainty about what would transpire if the conflict were to drag on and disrupt helium production over a longer span.

From MarketWatch

They were content to contain and deter Iran, keeping war in reserve if it really did try to get a nuclear weapon.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.