reserved

1 of 3

adjective

re·​served ri-ˈzərvd How to pronounce reserved (audio)
Synonyms of reserved
1
: restrained in words and actions
2
: kept or set apart or aside for future or special use
reservedly
ri-ˈzər-vəd-lē How to pronounce reserved (audio)
adverb
reservedness
ri-ˈzər-vəd-nəs How to pronounce reserved (audio)
noun

reserved

2 of 3

past tense and past participle of reserve entry 1

reservedness

3 of 3

noun

re·​serv·​ed·​ness -dnə̇s How to pronounce reservedness (audio)
plural -es
: the quality or state of being reserved

Synonyms of reserved

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Adjective

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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

Adjective She is a very reserved young woman. The front row is reserved for faculty.
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.
Adjective
Guzman Soto was quiet, reserved and religious and regularly attended local church groups and Bible studies, a 32-year-old neighbor who declined to give his name said. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026 Porsche has expanded the GT3 formula since the model’s debut in 1999, adding the more extreme GT3 RS to the lineup in 2003 and the slightly more reserved GT3 Touring in 2017, along with the GT3 S/C earlier this year. — Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026 Feliciano sounded the same theme, if in a more reserved tone. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Strain cocktail through a Hawthorne strainer or a slotted spoon into reserved glass. — Rick Martinez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reserved

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reserved was in 1601

Phrases Containing reserved

Rhymes for reserved

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Browse Nearby Words

reserve clause
reserved
reserved book
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Cite this Entry

“Reserved.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reserved. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

reserved

adjective
re·​served ri-ˈzərvd How to pronounce reserved (audio)
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 How to pronounce reserved (audio)
adverb
reservedness
-ˈzər-vəd-nəs
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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