reserves 1 of 2

noun

plural of reserve
1
as in deposits
a collection of things kept available for future use or need our fuel reserves are low

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2
as in substitutes
a person or thing that takes the place of another when the first brigade fell back in retreat, the commander sent out the reserves to try to hold the line of battle

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3
as in spares
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reserves

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of reserve
1
as in books
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

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2
as in retains
to continue to have in one's possession or power I'm reserving the right to work by myself if you don't do your share of the project

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dedicates
to keep or intend for a special purpose we must reserve this cup for ceremonial use only

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 reserves
Noun
The league’s head coaches will select the 12 reserves for the team. — Mercury News, 2 July 2026 With the 10 starters announced, the 12 reserves will be announced at a later date. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 The deficit spending will be made up by district reserves, which may or may not be exhausted at some point within the next three years. — Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026 BlackRock aims to manage the coin's vast reserves, while merchants like Shopify seek lower transaction costs and yield. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Russia’s fiscal reserves are dwindling, and oil and gas revenues have cratered as many countries rerouted to alternative suppliers. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 2 July 2026 That would leave Florida choosing among Cole Reinhardt, Jonah Gadjovich, Vilmanis and Schwindt for the final spot in the lineup and up to two reserves/bench spots. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026 The Republican National Committee has more than $125 million in its reserves, according to the most recent campaign disclosures. — Will Lennon, ABC News, 1 July 2026 But China’s ability to diversify its energy supply and tap into emergency reserves has given it strategic advantages in an otherwise widely disruptive crisis, The Asia Group said. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
Verb
Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. — AJC.com, 30 June 2026 Trump had added his own name to the facade in December, over loud protests and in spite of lawsuits filed to stop him, and in spite of the law, which reserves such powers for Congress. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 June 2026 Wimbledon reserves a handful of tickets for same-day purchase, with some fans camping out the night before in Wimbledon Park in a bid to get their hands on a pass. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 2 July 2026 An unusual sight for someone who generally reserves outward emotion only for special moments. — Will Sammon, New York Times, 13 June 2026 In fairness to Trump, every president reserves some ambassadorships for donors and pals; some of them end up doing fine work, and others should never have been allowed to represent the United States overseas. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026 But the biopic reserves its most pivotal role for Michael's former entertainment lawyer, John Branca, who also happens to be the co-executor of Jackson's estate and a co-producer of the film. — Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 3 June 2026 The Catholic Church reserves the priesthood for men, and women have long complained of a second-class status despite carrying out the lion’s share of the church’s work running schools, hospitals and passing the faith onto younger generations. — Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify a potential winner based on the results of such background check if Sponsor determines in its sole discretion that selecting such potential finalist might reflect negatively on the Sponsor. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reserves
  1. deposits
  2. substitutes
  3. spares
  4. books
  5. retains
  6. dedicates
  7. supplies
  8. replacements
Noun
  • By owning a bank, fintech firms can fund loans with their own customer deposits instead of more expensive wholesale financing, directly offer checking accounts and credit cards and rely less on third-party banking partners.
    — Hugh Son, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Children born between January 2025 and December 2028 are eligible for the government-issued $1,000 deposits.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 July 2026
Definition of deposits
Noun
  • In my West Palm Beach practice, cancer patients who need these skin substitutes instead have open head wounds.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026
  • For 74 minutes, this game was goalless, but part of the joy of World Cups comes from substitutes actually making their mark.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of substitutes
Noun
  • Previously, another wrist joint was replaced and both of the arm's end effectors were swapped out for spares.
    — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 30 June 2026
  • This doesn't see three Li-ion battery packs all connected at once for long-range riding, but rather provides a downtube pack plus two spares in a cage hanging from the rear rack.
    — Paul Ridden June 23, New Atlas, 23 June 2026
Definition of spares
Verb
  • With SummerSlam looming, how WWE books the finish will shape both challengers' momentum heading into August.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Katie Wright, who books sports events for Anaheim’s tourism bureau, said there would be a market if her city built a sports park.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Definition of books
Verb
  • Centralized high-scale manufacturing retains advantages for standardized products with stable demand, long runs and low sensitivity to distance.
    — Robert C. Wolcott, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • As a result, your body retains more heat, increasing the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
    — Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of retains
Verb
  • The new Prime Video series dedicates an episode to James Van Der Beek.
    — Samantha Highfill, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026
  • Under Proposition 98, approved by voters in 1988, California has a minimum funding guarantee for schools and community colleges and dedicates roughly 40% of general fund revenue to education.
    — Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of dedicates
Noun
  • The shipment includes emergency health kits for urgent medical care, including supplies for safe births, newborn care, disease prevention and treatment, according to the United Nations.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • At donation centers across Miami-Dade County, members of the Venezuelan community are collecting supplies for victims while anxiously waiting for news from home.
    — Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of supplies
Noun
  • In cases of cobalt toxicity linked to hip replacements, the symptoms usually develop over many months, not weeks, as in the woman’s case.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
  • Ukraine's attacks damaged specialized equipment that is often sourced abroad, making repairs time-consuming and expensive as workarounds or replacements are sought by evading sanctions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of replacements

Browse Nearby Words

reservedness
reserves
reserving
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Cite this Entry

“Reserves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reserves. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reserves

Nglish: Translation of reserves for Spanish Speakers

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