Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after adjectives

How to use reserved with prepositions

Reserved is commonly followed by for when something is set aside, and with when describing a person's cautious behaviour.

Quick answer

Two main meanings

Use reserved for when something is kept for a purpose or person. Use reserved with to describe someone who is quiet or restrained around people.

These seats are reserved for guests.
She is reserved with strangers.
The final chapter is reserved for advanced students.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
reserved for + person or purpose

Setting something aside

Use for when something is intended only for certain people or uses.

Parking spaces are reserved for staff members.
2
reserved with + people

Describing restrained behaviour

Use with to describe someone who is not open or expressive around others.

He is often reserved with new clients.
3
reserved about + topic

Being cautious in discussion

About can describe hesitation or caution regarding a subject.

She remained reserved about the proposal.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
reserved for
The room is reserved for VIP guests.
Standard for something set aside.
reserved in
She was reserved in meetings.
In introduces a context, not a fixed complement after reserved.
reserved about
He sounded reserved about the merger.
Used for caution or reluctance regarding a topic.
reserved with
The child is reserved with strangers.
Describes restrained behaviour toward people.
reserved of
They were reserved of the idea.
Nonstandard in modern English.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using of after reserved

Reserved of is not idiomatic modern English.

✕ She is reserved of outsiders. ✓ She is reserved with outsiders.

Using for with people in the personality meaning

For usually means set aside, not socially restrained.

✕ He is reserved for colleagues. ✓ He is reserved with colleagues.

Confusing in with the complement

In can describe context but does not replace for or with.

✕ The table is reserved in guests. ✓ The table is reserved for guests.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. This section is reserved ___ senior staff.
2. She is reserved ___ unfamiliar people.
3. He remained reserved ___ the issue.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

What does reserved for mean?

It means kept aside or intended for a particular person, group, or purpose.

Can reserved describe personality?

Yes. A reserved person is quiet, cautious, or not emotionally expressive.

Is reserved of correct?

No. Reserved of is not standard in current English.

racist-in-against-for-to, towards "radical in" or "radical for"? rampant in, among, with, on or throughout? "rare in" or "rare for"? "rational for" or "rational in"? "raw in", "raw for" or "raw with"? reachable by, from, on, in or through? "reactive to", "reactive rather" or "reactive in"? ready for, to, in, at or by? "realistic about" or "realistic in"? "real to", "real for" or "real in"? rearing of, as or on?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account