What does "reservation" mean?
The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.
Reservation
/ˌɹɛzɚˈveɪ.ʃən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.
- Grammar: reservation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: booking, a book, allowance, appointment.
- Useful contrasts: assurance, certainty, confidence.
- Usage evidence: Hello, I have a reservation, my name is Kaori Yoshikawa. Here is the confirmation card.
How to use "reservation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "reservation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "reservation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "reservation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "reservation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "reservation" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "booking" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "reservation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back. countable, uncountable
"The committee authorised the reservation of funds."
- 2 the act of keeping back or setting aside for some future occasion wordnet
- 3 The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.; The practice of reserving part of the consecrated bread of the Eucharist for the communion of the sick. countable, uncountable
- 4 the act of reserving (a place or passage) or engaging the services of (a person or group) wordnet
- 5 The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.; The act of the pope to reserve to himself the right to nominate to certain benefices. countable, uncountable
Show 12 more definitions
- 6 an unstated doubt that prevents you from accepting something wholeheartedly wordnet
- 7 Something that is withheld or kept back. countable, uncountable
- 8 something reserved in advance (as a hotel accommodation or a seat on a plane etc.) wordnet
- 9 A limiting qualification regarding certainty or risk; a doubt or concern. countable, in-plural, often, uncountable
"I have reservations about your intentions."
- 10 a statement that limits or restricts some claim wordnet
- 11 A tract of land set apart by the US government for the use of a Native American people, such as the Hopi Reservation or the Navajo Nation's territory. US, countable, uncountable
- 12 the written record or promise of an arrangement by which accommodations are secured in advance wordnet
- 13 An arrangement by which accommodation or transport arrangements are secured in advance. countable, uncountable
"I have a hotel reservation in the name of Mr Smith."
- 14 a district that is reserved for particular purpose wordnet
- 15 The area which separates opposing lanes of traffic on a divided motorway or dual carriageway. UK, countable, uncountable
"A vehicle crashed through the central reservation into the path of oncoming traffic."
- 16 The setting aside of a certain percentage of vacancies in government institutions for members of backward and underrepresented communities (defined primarily by caste and tribe). India, countable, uncountable
- 17 A power of an overseeing authority to suspend legislation in the jurisdiction being overseen pending the approval of a higher authority. Such as a provincial/state governor reserving a bill passed by the state/provincial legislature from assent, pending approval of the federal government; or a federal bill passed by federal parliament being reserved by the viceroy pending approval by the crown. countable, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Hello, I have a reservation, my name is Kaori Yoshikawa. Here is the confirmation card."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "reservation"?
Common synonyms include: booking, a book, allowance, appointment, appointment, archives.
How do you use "reservation" in a sentence?
Hello, I have a reservation, my name is Kaori Yoshikawa. Here is the confirmation card.
How do you pronounce "reservation"?
Pronounced /ˌɹɛzɚˈveɪ.ʃən/.
Etymology
From Middle French reservation, equivalent to reserve + -ation.