Meaning & use
prebook or pre-book
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
to arrange and pay for something such as a seat, room, or ticket before the time you need it.
Grammar: Can take an object (prebook a table) or stand alone (we prebooked). Also used with 'for': prebook for a tour.
Patterns
- prebook something
- prebook for something
- prebook something in advance
We prebooked our seats so we would not have to queue at the airport.
You can prebook a taxi the night before your flight.
The museum asks large groups to prebook for guided tours.
verbtransitive
to reserve a service or place ahead of time, especially online or by phone.
Grammar: Often used in business and travel writing; the object is the thing reserved.
Patterns
- prebook a room
- prebook a slot
- prebook online
Customers who prebook a room online get a lower rate.
Please prebook your appointment through the clinic's website.
The restaurant only takes walk-ins after 9 p.m.; earlier tables must be prebooked.
Word forms
| third person singular | prebooks |
|---|---|
| past tense | prebooked |
| past participle | prebooked |
| -ing form | prebooking |
Common combinations
- prebook a table
- We prebooked a table for six at the Italian place.
- prebook online
- You can prebook online and collect the tickets at the desk.
- prebook in advance
- Groups are advised to prebook in advance during the holidays.
- strongly recommend prebooking
- The hotel strongly recommends prebooking during festival week.
- prebooked tickets
- Prebooked tickets are cheaper than tickets bought at the gate.
Synonyms and how they differ
- reserve
- More general and more common in everyday speech; use it for tables, rooms, and seats when you do not need to stress 'before'.
- book
- The plain verb; 'prebook' simply adds the idea that you do it early, which 'book' often implies already.
- schedule
- Used for fixing a time for an event or meeting, not for buying a seat or room in advance.
Word family
- prebooking noun
- the act of arranging something before you need it, or a booking made early.
- booking noun
- an arrangement made in advance for a seat, room, or service.
Commonly confused: prebook or pre-book or prepay?
prebook or pre-book vs prepay
Means to pay before receiving the goods or service; 'prebook' is about reserving, not paying, though you often do both.
Practice
The tour company asks visitors to ______ for the morning walk, because places are limited.
Choose one answer.
After 'to' we need the base form 'prebook'. 'Prebooking' would need a verb like 'consider', and 'prebooked'/'prebooks' do not fit after 'to' here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “prebook or pre-book”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.