booking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighPredominantly neutral to formal; common in business, travel, and administrative contexts. Less common in highly informal speech where 'reservation' or simply 'booked' may be used.
Quick answer
What does “booking” mean?
The act of reserving or arranging to have something (like a seat, ticket, hotel room, or appointment) at a specific time.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of reserving or arranging to have something (like a seat, ticket, hotel room, or appointment) at a specific time.
Can also refer to a performance (e.g., a comedy booking), the act of making a formal legal charge (e.g., booking at a police station), or the process of recording something officially.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the context of appointments (e.g., medical, hair), BrE uses 'booking' more readily ('I have a booking at the dentist'). AmE strongly prefers 'appointment'. In the context of reservations for accommodation/events, both use 'booking', but AmE also commonly uses 'reservation'.
Connotations
In both, 'booking' for travel/accommodation is standard and neutral. In police/legal contexts, 'booking' is the standard technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in BrE due to its wider application to appointments. In AmE, 'reservation' is a very high-frequency competitor for accommodation and restaurants.
Grammar
How to Use “booking” in a Sentence
make a booking for [event/time] (BrE/AmE)have a booking at [place/time] (BrE)cancel a bookingcheck a bookingthe booking of [artist/performer]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “booking” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We need to book the conference room well in advance.
- He's been booked for speeding.
American English
- We should book our flights soon.
- The suspect was booked on assault charges.
adverb
British English
- This service is bookable online 24/7.
American English
- Tickets are bookable through our website.
adjective
British English
- The booking office is on platform two.
- Please quote your booking reference.
American English
- Use the booking code from your confirmation email.
- The booking process was straightforward.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to securing clients, orders, or appointments. 'The sales team is focused on increasing bookings for Q3.'
Academic
Rare; could appear in management or tourism studies discussing 'booking systems' or 'advance booking curves'.
Everyday
Highly common for travel, restaurants, hotels, and services. 'I'll need to check my booking reference.'
Technical
In law enforcement: the administrative process of recording an arrest. In IT: a record in a booking system database.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “booking”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “booking”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “booking”
- Using 'booking' for a restaurant table in very formal AmE ('reservation' is safer).
- Confusing 'booking' (noun) with 'to book' (verb) in sentence structure: *'I did a booking' (awkward) vs. 'I made a booking' (correct).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are largely interchangeable for travel and dining. 'Reservation' is more formal and preferred in American English for restaurants. 'Booking' has a wider range, covering appointments (BrE) and legal/entertainment contexts.
Primarily, 'booking' is a noun. The related verb is 'to book'. 'Booking' can function as a modifier in compound nouns (e.g., booking fee) but is not used as a main verb.
Yes, in British English this is perfectly acceptable. In American English, 'I have an appointment with the doctor' is the standard phrasing.
It's an error where the same resource (room, time slot, seat) is accidentally reserved for two different people or events simultaneously.
The act of reserving or arranging to have something (like a seat, ticket, hotel room, or appointment) at a specific time.
Booking is usually predominantly neutral to formal; common in business, travel, and administrative contexts. less common in highly informal speech where 'reservation' or simply 'booked' may be used. in register.
Booking: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbʊk.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbʊk.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “double booking”
- “block booking”
- “be in the book/on the books (related)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a **book** where appointments are written down. A **booking** is an entry in that book.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME/SPACE IS A COMMODITY THAT CAN BE RESERVED (securing a 'slot'). FUTURE EVENTS ARE OBJECTS TO BE CAPTURED AND HELD (making a booking).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would a British English speaker be LEAST likely to use the word 'booking'?