reserve

American  

[ri-zurv] / rɪˈzɜrv /

verb (used with object)

• reserves,
  present (3rd person singular)
• reserved,
  past participle,  past
• reserving
  present participle

1. to keep back or save for future use, disposal, treatment, etc.

   Synonyms:

   store, hold, husband

   Antonyms:

   squander

2. to retain or secure by express stipulation.

3. to set apart for a particular use, purpose, service, etc..

   ground reserved for gardening.

4. to keep for oneself.

5. to retain (the original color) of a surface, as on a painted ceramic piece.

6. to save or set aside (a portion of the Eucharistic elements) to be administered, as to the sick, outside of the Mass or communion service.

---

noun

• reserves
  plural

1. Finance.

   1. cash, or assets readily convertible into cash, held aside, as by a corporation, bank, state or national government, etc., to meet expected or unexpected demands.

   2. uninvested cash held to comply with legal requirements.

2. something kept or stored for use or need; stock.

   a reserve of food.

   Synonyms:

   supply

3. a resource not normally called upon but available if needed.

4. a tract of public land set apart for a special purpose.

   a forest reserve.

5. an act of reserving; reservation, exception, or qualification.

   I will do what you ask, but with one reserve.

6. Military.

   1. a fraction of a military force held in readiness to sustain the attack or defense made by the rest of the force.

   2. the part of a country's fighting force not in active service.

   3. reserves, the enrolled but not regular components of the U.S. Army.

7. formality and self-restraint in manner and relationship; avoidance of familiarity or intimacy with others.

   to conduct oneself with reserve.

   Antonyms:

   warmth

8. reticence or silence.

   Synonyms:

   coldness, constraint, taciturnity

   Antonyms:

   warmth

adjective

1. kept in reserve; forming a reserve.

   a reserve fund; a reserve supply.

2. of or relating to the animal awarded second place in livestock shows.

   the reserve champion steer.

idioms

1. without reserve,

   1. without restraint; frankly; freely.

   2. (of articles at auction) without limitation as to the terms of sale, especially with no stipulated minimum price.

2. in reserve, put aside or withheld for a future need; reserved.

   money in reserve.

reserve British  

/ rɪˈzɜːv /

verb

1. to keep back or set aside, esp for future use or contingency; withhold

2. to keep for oneself; retain

   I reserve the right to question these men later

3. to obtain or secure by advance arrangement

   I have reserved two tickets for tonight's show

4. to delay delivery of (a judgment), esp in order to allow time for full consideration of the issues involved

---

noun

1. 1. something kept back or set aside, esp for future use or contingency

   2. ( as modifier )

      a reserve stock

2. the state or condition of being reserved

   I have plenty in reserve

3. a tract of land set aside for the protection and conservation of wild animals, flowers, etc

   a nature reserve

4. Also called: reservation.  an area of land set aside, esp (in the US and Canada) for American or Canadian Indian peoples

5. an area of publicly owned land set aside for sport, recreation, etc

6. the act of reserving; reservation

7. a member of a team who only plays if a playing member drops out; a substitute

8. (often plural)

   1. a part of an army or formation not committed to immediate action in a military engagement

   2. that part of a nation's armed services not in active service

9. coolness or formality of manner; restraint, silence, or reticence

10. finance

    1. a portion of capital not invested (a capital reserve ) or a portion of profits not distributed (a revenue or general reserve ) by a bank or business enterprise and held to meet legal requirements, future liabilities, or contingencies

    2. (often plural) liquid assets held by an organization, government, etc, to meet expenses and liabilities

11. without reservations; fully; wholeheartedly

Synonym Usage

See keep.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonreserve
  noun
• reserver
  noun
• nonreservable
  adjective
• reservable
  adjective
• reserveless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• reserves
  plural

Participles

• reserving
  present
• reserved
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• reserve
  simple
• reserves
  simple
• have reserved
  perfect
• has reserved
  perfect
• am reserving
  progressive
• are reserving
  progressive
• is reserving
  progressive
• have been reserving
  perfect progressive
• has been reserving
  perfect progressive

Past

• reserved
  simple
• had reserved
  perfect
• was reserving
  progressive
• were reserving
  progressive
• had been reserving
  perfect progressive

Future

• will reserve
  simple
• will have reserved
  perfect
• will be reserving
  progressive
• will have been reserving
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of reserve

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English reserven (verb) from Middle French reserver, from Latin reservāre “to keep back, retain,” equivalent to re- re- + servāre “to save”

Explanation

As a noun, reserve refers to the quality of a shy or modest person who doesn’t easily express his or her feelings. As a verb, to reserve is to stash something away or to set it aside for future use. Reserve can also refer to backup supplies or resources. If a military is running out of ammunition or food, they may have to dig into the reserve to replenish their supplies. Reserve is also used as a verb to mean "obtain in advance." If you’re expecting a big crowd at your sister's dance recital, you might show up early to reserve seats for your family members. You could also reserve a table at a restaurant for dinner after the show.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reserve reserves reserved reserving

A-Baki was the face of a failed plan to prevent oil exploitation in an Amazon reserve in exchange for a hefty international contribution.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

"It's going to be a proper nature reserve; it will be somewhere you can go and sit quietly," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

"We wondered whether the worm had evolved a way to access this rich energy reserve."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

They couldn’t stay outside the fence for long; not with a frantic mother trying her best to escape from the reserve and find her cub.

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins

PHAs serve as microbial energy and carbon reserves, but they are also used to manufacture biodegradable plastics.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

The stablecoin, whose reserves are currently custodied with BitGo, has a market value of about $4 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Having a surplus in your cash reserves after all that is actually a pretty good outcome.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

Some have begun building up reserves, while others are already considering leaving because of the risk of shortages.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

We are not, indeed, in the front-line, but only in the reserves, yet in every face can be read: This is the front, now we are within its embrace.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

They reserved a slot, which included a photographer, storage locker and two drink tickets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Journalists on the old plane out of Ankara were also told to keep their window blinds down -- a step normally reserved for war zones -- furthering suspicions of security concerns.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

In April, before the Fifa Congress in Vancouver, local authorities rejected a request for a level-four motorcade, usually reserved for heads of state or the Pope.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

Telling a federal judge the same kind of thing carries the threat of disbarment and perjury charges, and no amount of bravado previously reserved for on-air broadcasts could change that math.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

Though reserved to the point of being shy, the sheriff was adept at assuming undercover identities, having pretended to be everything from a cow rustler to a counterfeiter.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Jim Levi runs Cars for Event Rental in Long Island, where he says 80% of his bookings are women, mostly reserving cars for photoshoots.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

For other passengers, reserving a seat is optional.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

While praising the VA for reserving the contract for businesses owned by disabled veterans, Sherin said the plan lacks the ingredient he views as most important.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

If a specific low-value item is what you actually want, experts suggest ordering it a la carte and reserving your “endless” capacity for the more expensive stuff.

From MarketWatch ● May 14, 2026

At the end of Neville’s interview, Harry had the impression that Slughorn was reserving judgment on Neville, yet to see whether he had any of his parents’ flair.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• defer
• hoard
• maintain
• preserve
• retain
• save
• set aside
• stockpile
• withhold