booking

1 of 2

noun

book·​ing ˈbu̇-kiŋ How to pronounce booking (audio)
Synonyms of bookingnext
1
: the act of one that books
2
: an engagement or scheduled performance
3
: reservation sense 1c

booking

2 of 2

present participle of book entry 3

Examples of booking in a Sentence

Noun She has several concert bookings this fall. The comedian missed some bookings because of illness. All booking is done by the band's manager.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Hover over the chart for the average daily booking information for detainees with different criminal backgrounds -- before, during and after the blitz. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026 Fight over religious practices and the First Amendment A fight for the right to wear a hijab in a booking photograph has also come to the forefront. — Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026 The latter was withdrawn at half-time in the previous game at Villa on Monday, having picked up a booking. — James McNicholas, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026 Fading fall savings Virtuoso is seeing a 59% increase in fall 2026 bookings over last year, with the amount of money generated off fall bookings up 69%. — Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for booking

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of booking was in 1790

Phrases Containing booking

Rhymes for booking

See All Rhymes for booking

Browse Nearby Words

bookiest
booking
booking clerk
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Booking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/booking. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Legal Definition

booking

noun
book·​ing
: a procedure at a jail or police station following an arrest in which information about the arrest (as the time, the name of the arrested person, and the crime for which the arrest was made) is entered in the police register

Note: The arrested person is usually photographed and fingerprinted at the time of the booking.

More from Merriam-Webster on booking

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