reserve 1 of 2

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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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reserve

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verb

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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

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word reserve distinct from other similar verbs?

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

Where would detain be a reasonable alternative to reserve?

While the synonyms detain and reserve are close in meaning, detain suggests a delay in letting go.

detained them for questioning

When could keep be used to replace reserve?

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

When might retain be a better fit than reserve?

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

When can withhold be used instead of reserve?

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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of reserve
Noun
There are no plans to change the management of Circle's USDC reserves, which are currently held with other major banks. Tanaya MacHeel, CNBC, 30 June 2025 The biggest drawdowns on those reserves were to make extra pension payments designed to keep the four major pension funds afloat and reduce payments in the long term. A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Verb
Boswell girls’ basketball’s Camille Williams has been named the 2024-25 Star-Telegram Girls’ High School Athlete of the Year, an honor reserved for the best of the best across all sports in the Fort Worth-area. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2025 This treatment is typically reserved for cases where other treatments haven't worked. Mark Gurarie, Health, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for reserve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reserve
Noun
  • At its core, Wimbledon is a British brand built on restraint: the all-white dress code, the absence of in-your-face, on-court branding, the strawberries and cream.
    Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • Critics say Trump has only become more dangerous, pursuing radical ideas without restraint.
    Eric Cortellessa, Time, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Energy operators had to cut off electricity to customers — because supply couldn’t meet the growing energy demand — for 21 hours as a measure to prevent larger-scale blackouts.
    Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025
  • This will include school supplies and household essentials from Amazon Basics (starting at $3) and summer fashion from Amazon Essentials (starting at $12).
    Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 6 July 2025
Noun
  • The call is for more person-to-person clienteling, which can be aided by AI, yet AI is no substitute for the personal connection.
    Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • But what really rankles is the idea that these digital interlocutors are a plausible substitute for real friends or family.
    Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • Neither of these processes is perfect, and so sometimes an atom gets lost and needs to be replaced with one from a reservoir of spares.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 20 June 2025
  • Shown here are four mission spares, including Marie Curie [foreground].
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • The speedy receiver and return specialist for Dallas is facing a pair of misdemeanor charges after being arrested and booked into Collin County Jail, per The Dallas Morning News.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
  • Before being booked into Paul Rein on Tuesday, Rogers lived at the Studio 6 in Coral Springs, 5645 N. University Dr.
    David J. Neal July 6, Miami Herald, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • These things can be weathered so long as Americans retain our reverence for freedom of speech.
    Bruce Yandle, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
  • Cops don't have to disclose when AI is used in every department, and Draft One does not save drafts or retain a record showing which parts of reports are AI-generated.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Interoperability frees employees from repetitive tasks and enables them to dedicate their time to creativity, strategic thinking and high-value problem-solving.
    Cynthia Tee, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • And these options are on the table: in Texas, voters will decide in November whether to dedicate an additional $1 billion annually to the state’s Water Fund, money that could be used to support flood resilience.
    Katharine Hayhoe, Time, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • But the promise of fiscal discipline has become a straightjacket.
    Oliver Eagleton, Time, 5 July 2025
  • Our options are to chase growth and tolerate inflation siphoning away most of the progress, impose austerity and trigger a populist backlash, or adopt a neutral monetary protocol and accept the discipline that comes with it.
    Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reserve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reserve. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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