reservation

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   An arrangement made in advance to keep a table, room, seat, or ticket for you.

   Grammar: Countable: you can make a reservation, have a reservation, or cancel a reservation.

   Patterns

   • make a reservation
   • have a reservation
   • a reservation for something
   • a reservation at a restaurant

   I made a reservation for two at the new Italian restaurant.

   Do you have a reservation, or should I put you on the waiting list?

   We had to cancel our hotel reservation because our flight was delayed.

2. 2nouncountable

   A feeling of doubt or hesitation about something.

   Grammar: Often used in the plural: have reservations about a plan.

   Patterns

   • have reservations about something
   • express reservations
   • with reservations

   She has serious reservations about the new policy.

   I agreed to the plan, but with some reservations.

   He expressed reservations about the cost of the project.

3. 3nouncountableAmerican

   An area of land set aside by the government for a particular group, especially Native Americans.

   Grammar: Capitalized when part of a proper name: the Navajo Reservation.

   Patterns

   • on a reservation
   • a reservation for a tribe

   She grew up on a reservation in Arizona.

   The government established a reservation for the tribe in the 19th century.

Word forms

Common combinations

make a reservation

I'd like to make a reservation for Friday evening.

cancel a reservation

We had to cancel our reservation due to the storm.

have reservations about

Many employees have reservations about the merger.

without reservation

I recommend her without reservation.

dinner reservation

He booked a dinner reservation for their anniversary.

Synonyms and how they differ

booking

More common in British English for travel and entertainment; 'reservation' is more usual in American English.

doubt

Stronger and more general than 'reservation'; a reservation is a specific, often politely expressed hesitation.

qualification

In formal contexts, a qualification is a statement that limits your agreement, while a reservation is the doubt itself.

Opposites

Word family

reserve verb

To arrange for something to be kept for you.

reserved adjective

Kept for a particular person; also describes a shy, quiet person.

Commonly confused: reservation or reservoir?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “reservation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words