reservation

noun

res·​er·​va·​tion ˌre-zər-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce reservation (audio)
1
: an act of reserving something: such as
a(1)
: the act or fact of a grantor's reserving some newly created thing out of the thing granted
(2)
: the right or interest so reserved
b
: the setting of limiting conditions or withholding from complete exposition
answered without reservation
c
: an arrangement to have something (such as a hotel room) held for one's use
also : a promise, guarantee, or record of such engagement
2
a
: a limiting condition
agreed, but with reservations
b
: doubt, misgiving
had serious reservations about marriage
3
: something reserved: such as
a
: a tract of public land set aside (as for use by American Indians)
b
: an area in which hunting is not permitted
especially : one set aside as a secure breeding place
reservationist noun

Examples of reservation in a Sentence

We made dinner reservations at the restaurant for 6 o'clock. I have a hotel reservation. My only reservation about buying the car was its high price.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Book a reservation at Bonnie & Clyde, an upscale restaurant and cocktail bar that opened earlier this year in a 1928 bank. Emma Guillen, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2025 Founded in 1995 by Fabio Granato and Vittorio Assaf in New York City, Serafina Italian restaurant is now taking reservations at the sprawling 27-acre downtown development. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025 Be prepared: Gus’ does not take reservations, and wait times can number in the hours. Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 May 2025 That means the Operator can accomplish the full life cycle of a task, such as booking a reservation or signing someone up for something. John Werner, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for reservation

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reservation was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reservation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reservation. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

reservation

noun
res·​er·​va·​tion ˌrez-ər-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce reservation (audio)
1
: the act of reserving
2
: an arrangement to have something (as a motel room or a seat on a plane) held for one's use
3
: something reserved for a special use
especially : an area of public lands so reserved (as for use by Indigenous people in the U.S.)
4
a
: a limiting condition : exception
agree without reservations
b
: doubt entry 2 sense 1
had reservations about joining the team

Legal Definition

reservation

noun
res·​er·​va·​tion
1
: the act or an instance of reserving
reservation of rights
2
: the creation by and for a grantor of a new right or interest (as an easement) in real property granted to another
also : the right or interest so created or the clause creating it in a deed compare exception
3
a
: public land reserved for a special purpose (as conservation)
b
: a tract of land reserved for use by an American Indian tribe see also Indian Removal Act of 1830 compare Indian title at title

Note: The federal government has jurisdiction over certain serious felonies committed on American Indian reservations, and a member of a tribe is vested with the rights of an American citizen even if in a tribal court proceeding. Prior to the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, states could obtain civil and criminal jurisdiction over a reservation or other American Indian lands by legislative action, but that Act created the requirement that such jurisdiction be acquired with the consent of the tribe as manifest in an election among tribal adults. This requirement was not retroactive. Federal land claim settlement acts pertaining to particular states have included statutes expressly assigning civil and criminal jurisdiction to the states involved.

More from Merriam-Webster on reservation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!