reserved

adjective

re·​served ri-ˈzərvd 

1

: restrained in words and actions

2

: kept or set apart or aside for future or special use

reservedly

ri-ˈzər-vəd-lē 

adverb

reservedness

ri-ˈzər-vəd-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• closemouthed
• dumb
• laconic
• reticent
• silent
• taciturn
• tight-lipped
• uncommunicative

Choose the Right Synonym for reserved

silent, taciturn, reticent, reserved, secretive mean showing restraint in speaking.

silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

secretive, too, implies reticence but usually carries a suggestion of deviousness and lack of frankness or of an often ostentatious will to conceal.

the secretive research and development division

Examples of reserved in a Sentence

She is a very reserved young woman.

The front row is reserved for faculty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tickets for reserved seating will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Summerfest.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Summerfest box office at 200 N. Harbor Drive. —Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 11 Dec. 2024

Each ticket includes a reserved table with limited availability for various group sizes. —Ana Gutierrez, Austin American-Statesman, 11 Dec. 2024

In a statement Monday, Taiwan authorities said the PLA had designated seven zones of reserved airspace to the east of its coastal Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. —Wayne Chang, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), reserved airspace is temporarily allocated during a determined period of time for the specific use of a particular user, though other flights may be allowed to transit under air traffic control clearance. —Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reserved

• reserved power

Kids Definition

reserved

adjective

re·​served ri-ˈzərvd 

1

: cautious in words and actions

a reserved young man

2

: kept or set apart or aside for future or special use

a reserved table

reservedly

-ˈzər-vəd-lē 

adverb

reservedness

-ˈzər-vəd-nəs

noun