Reserved words

A reserved word is a character-string with a predefined meaning in a COBOL source unit.

The following table identifies words that are reserved in Enterprise COBOL and words that you should avoid because they might be reserved in a future release of Enterprise COBOL.

  • Words marked X under Reserved are reserved for function implemented in Enterprise COBOL. If used as user-defined names, these words are flagged with an S-level message.
  • Words marked X under Standard only are 85 COBOL Standard reserved words for function not implemented in Enterprise COBOL. (Some of the function is implemented in the Report Writer Precompiler.) Use of these words as user-defined names is flagged with an S-level message.
  • Words marked X under Potential reserved words are words that might be reserved in a future release of Enterprise COBOL. IBM® recommends that you not use these words as user-defined names. Use of these words as user-defined names is flagged with an I-level message.

    This column includes words reserved in the 2002 COBOL Standard.

The default reserved word table is shown below. You can select a different reserved word table by using the WORD compiler option. For details, see WORD in the Enterprise COBOL Programming Guide.

Table 1. Reserved words
Word Reserved Standard only Potential reserved words
+ Arithmetic operator - unary plus or addition X    
- Arithmetic operator - unary minus or subtraction X    
* Arithmetic operator - multiplication X    
/ Arithmetic operator - division X    
** Arithmetic operator - exponentiation X    
> Relational operator - greater than X    
< Relational operator - less than X    
= Relational operator - equal and assignment operator in COMPUTE X    
== Pseudo-text delimiter in COPY and REPLACE statements X    
>= Relational operator - greater than or equal X    
<= Relational operator - less than or equal X    
<> Relational operator - not equal   X  
*> Comment indicator X    
>> Compiler directive indicator   X  
ACCEPT X    
ACCESS X    
ACTIVE-CLASS     X
ADD X    
ADDRESS X    
ADVANCING X    
AFTER X    
ALIGNED     X
ALL X    
ALLOCATE X     
ALPHABET X    
ALPHABETIC X    
ALPHABETIC-LOWER X    
ALPHABETIC-UPPER X    
ALPHANUMERIC X    
ALPHANUMERIC-EDITED X    
ALSO X    
ALTER X    
ALTERNATE X    
AND X    
ANY X    
ANYCASE     X
APPLY X    
ARE X    
AREA X    
AREAS X    
ASCENDING X    
ASSIGN X    
AT X    
AUTHOR X    
B-AND     X
B-NOT     X
B-OR     X
B-XOR     X
BASED     X
BASIS X    
BEFORE X    
BEGINNING X    
BINARY X    
BINARY-CHAR     X
BINARY-DOUBLE     X
BINARY-LONG     X
BINARY-SHORT     X
BIT     X
BLANK X    
BLOCK X    
BOOLEAN     X
BOTTOM X    
BY X    
Start of changeBYTE-LENGTHEnd of change Start of changeXEnd of change    
CALL X    
CANCEL X    
CBL X    
CD   X  
CF   X  
CH   X  
CHARACTER X    
CHARACTERS X    
CLASS X    
CLASS-ID X    
CLOCK-UNITS   X  
CLOSE X    
COBOL X    
CODE X    
CODE-SET X    
COL     X
COLLATING X    
COLS     X
COLUMN   X  
COLUMNS     X
COM-REG X    
COMMA X    
COMMON X    
COMMUNICATION   X  
COMP X    
COMP-1 X    
COMP-2 X    
COMP-3 X    
COMP-4 X    
COMP-5 X    
COMPUTATIONAL X    
COMPUTATIONAL-1 X    
COMPUTATIONAL-2 X    
COMPUTATIONAL-3 X    
COMPUTATIONAL-4 X    
COMPUTATIONAL-5 X    
COMPUTE X    
CONDITION     X
CONFIGURATION X    
CONSTANT     X
CONTAINS X    
CONTENT X    
CONTINUE X    
CONTROL   X  
CONTROLS   X  
CONVERTING X    
COPY X    
CORR X    
CORRESPONDING X    
COUNT X    
CRT     X
CURRENCY X    
CURSOR     X
DATA X    
DATA-POINTER     X
DATE X    
DATE-COMPILED X    
DATE-WRITTEN X    
DAY X    
DAY-OF-WEEK X    
DBCS X    
DE   X  
DEBUG-CONTENTS X    
DEBUG-ITEM X    
DEBUG-LINE X    
DEBUG-NAME X    
DEBUG-SUB-1 X    
DEBUG-SUB-2 X    
DEBUG-SUB-3 X    
DEBUGGING X    
DECIMAL-POINT X    
DECLARATIVES X    
DEFAULT X     
DELETE X    
DELIMITED X    
DELIMITER X    
DEPENDING X    
DESCENDING X    
DESTINATION   X  
DETAIL   X  
DISABLE   X  
DISPLAY X    
DISPLAY-1 X    
DIVIDE X    
DIVISION X    
DOWN X    
DUPLICATES X    
DYNAMIC X    
EC     X
EGCS X    
EGI   X  
EJECT X    
ELSE X    
EMI   X  
ENABLE   X  
END X    
END-ACCEPT     X
END-ADD X    
END-CALL X    
END-COMPUTE X    
END-DELETE X    
END-DISPLAY     X
END-DIVIDE X    
END-EVALUATE X    
END-EXEC X    
END-IF X    
END-INVOKE X    
END-JSON X    
END-MULTIPLY X    
END-OF-PAGE X    
END-PERFORM X    
END-READ X    
END-RECEIVE   X  
END-RETURN X    
END-REWRITE X    
END-SEARCH X    
END-START X    
END-STRING X    
END-SUBTRACT X    
END-UNSTRING X    
END-WRITE X    
END-XML X    
ENDING X    
ENTER X    
ENTRY X    
ENVIRONMENT X    
EO     X
EOP X    
EQUAL X    
ERROR X    
ESI   X  
EVALUATE X    
EVERY X    
EXCEPTION X    
EXCEPTION-OBJECT     X
EXEC X    
EXECUTE X    
EXIT X    
EXTEND X    
EXTERNAL X    
FACTORY X    
FALSE X    
FD X    
FILE X    
FILE-CONTROL X    
FILLER X    
FINAL   X  
FIRST X    
FLOAT-EXTENDED     X
FLOAT-LONG     X
FLOAT-SHORT     X
FOOTING X    
FOR X    
FORMAT     X
FREE X     
FROM X    
FUNCTION X    
FUNCTION-ID     X
FUNCTION-POINTER X    
GENERATE X    
GET     X
GIVING X    
GLOBAL X    
GO X    
GOBACK X    
GREATER X    
GROUP   X  
GROUP-USAGE X    
HEADING   X  
HIGH-VALUE X    
HIGH-VALUES X    
I-O X    
I-O-CONTROL X    
ID X    
IDENTIFICATION X    
IF X    
IN X    
INDEX X    
INDEXED X    
INDICATE   X  
INHERITS X    
INITIAL X    
INITIALIZE X    
INITIATE   X  
INPUT X    
INPUT-OUTPUT X    
INSERT X    
INSPECT X    
INSTALLATION X    
INTERFACE     X
INTERFACE-ID     X
INTO X    
INVALID X    
INVOKE X    
IS X    
Start of changeJAVAEnd of change Start of changeXEnd of change    
JNIENVPTR X    
JSON X    
JSON-CODE X    
JSON-STATUS X    
JUST X    
JUSTIFIED X    
KANJI X    
KEY X    
LABEL X    
LAST   X  
LEADING X    
LEFT X    
LENGTH X    
LESS X    
LIMIT Start of changeXEnd of change     
LIMITS   X  
LINAGE X    
LINAGE-COUNTER X    
LINE X    
LINE-COUNTER   X  
LINES X    
LINKAGE X    
LOCAL-STORAGE X    
LOCALE     X
LOCK X    
LOW-VALUE X    
LOW-VALUES X    
MEMORY X    
MERGE X    
MESSAGE   X  
METHOD X    
METHOD-ID X    
MINUS     X
MODE X    
MODULES X    
MORE-LABELS X    
MOVE X    
MULTIPLE X    
MULTIPLY X    
NATIONAL X    
NATIONAL-EDITED X    
NATIVE X    
NEGATIVE X    
NESTED     X
NEXT X    
NO X    
NOT X    
NULL X    
NULLS X    
NUMBER   X  
NUMERIC X    
NUMERIC-EDITED X    
OBJECT X    
OBJECT-COMPUTER X    
OBJECT-REFERENCE     X
OCCURS X    
OF X    
OFF X    
OMITTED X    
ON X    
OPEN X    
OPTIONAL X    
OPTIONS     X
OR X    
ORDER X    
ORGANIZATION X    
OTHER X    
OUTPUT X    
OVERFLOW X    
OVERRIDE X    
PACKED-DECIMAL X    
PADDING X    
PAGE X    
PAGE-COUNTER   X  
PASSWORD X    
PERFORM X    
PF   X  
PH   X  
PIC X    
PICTURE X    
PLUS   X  
POINTER X    
Start of changePOINTER-24 End of change     Start of changeXEnd of change
Start of changePOINTER-31 End of change     Start of changeXEnd of change
Start of changePOINTER-32 End of change Start of changeXEnd of change    
Start of changePOINTER-64 End of change     Start of changeXEnd of change
POSITION X    
POSITIVE X    
PRESENT     X
PRINTING   X  
PROCEDURE X    
PROCEDURE-POINTER X    
PROCEDURES X    
PROCEED X    
PROCESSING X    
PROGRAM X    
PROGRAM-ID X    
PROGRAM-POINTER     X
PROPERTY     X
PROTOTYPE     X
PURGE   X  
QUEUE   X  
QUOTE X    
QUOTES X    
RAISE     X
RAISING     X
RANDOM X    
RD   X  
READ X    
READY X    
RECEIVE   X  
RECORD X    
RECORDING X    
RECORDS X    
RECURSIVE X    
REDEFINES X    
REEL X    
REFERENCE X    
REFERENCES X    
RELATIVE X    
RELEASE X    
RELOAD X    
REMAINDER X    
REMOVAL X    
RENAMES X    
REPLACE X    
REPLACING X    
REPORT   X  
REPORTING   X  
REPORTS   X  
REPOSITORY X    
RERUN X    
RESERVE X    
RESET X    
RESUME     X
RETRY     X
RETURN X    
RETURN-CODE X    
RETURNING X    
REVERSED X    
REWIND X    
REWRITE X    
RF   X  
RH   X  
RIGHT X    
ROUNDED X    
RUN X    
SAME X    
SCREEN     X
SD X    
SEARCH X    
SECTION X    
SECURITY X    
SEGMENT   X  
SEGMENT-LIMIT X    
SELECT X    
SELF X    
SEND   X  
SENTENCE X    
SEPARATE X    
SEQUENCE X    
SEQUENTIAL X    
SERVICE X    
SET X    
SHARING     X
SHIFT-IN X    
SHIFT-OUT X    
SIGN X    
SIZE X    
SKIP1 X    
SKIP2 X    
SKIP3 X    
SORT X    
SORT-CONTROL X    
SORT-CORE-SIZE X    
SORT-FILE-SIZE X    
SORT-MERGE X    
SORT-MESSAGE X    
SORT-MODE-SIZE X    
SORT-RETURN X    
SOURCE   X  
SOURCE-COMPUTER X    
SOURCES     X
SPACE X    
SPACES X    
SPECIAL-NAMES X    
SQL X    
SQLIMS X    
STANDARD X    
STANDARD-1 X    
STANDARD-2 X    
START X    
STATUS X    
STOP X    
STRING X    
SUB-QUEUE-1   X  
SUB-QUEUE-2   X  
SUB-QUEUE-3   X  
SUBTRACT X    
SUM   X  
SUPER X    
SUPPRESS X    
SYMBOLIC X    
SYNC X    
SYNCHRONIZED X    
SYSTEM-DEFAULT     X
TABLE   X  
TALLY X    
TALLYING X    
TAPE X    
TERMINAL   X  
TERMINATE   X  
TEST X    
TEXT   X  
THAN X    
THEN X    
THROUGH X    
THRU X    
TIME X    
TIMES X    
TITLE X    
TO X    
TOP X    
TRACE X    
TRAILING X    
TRUE X    
TYPE X    
TYPEDEF     X
UNIT X    
UNIVERSAL     X
UNLOCK     X
UNSTRING X    
UNTIL X    
UP X    
UPON X    
USAGE X    
USE X    
USER-DEFAULT     X
USING X    
Start of changeUTF-8End of change Start of changeXEnd of change    
VAL-STATUS     X
VALID     X
VALIDATE     X
VALIDATE-STATUS     X
VALUE X    
VALUES X    
VARYING X    
VOLATILE X    
WHEN X    
WHEN-COMPILED X    
WITH X    
WORDS X    
WORKING-STORAGE X    
WRITE X    
WRITE-ONLY X    
XML X    
XML-CODE X    
XML-EVENT X    
XML-INFORMATION X    
XML-NAMESPACE X    
XML-NAMESPACE-PREFIX X    
XML-NNAMESPACE X    
XML-NNAMESPACE-PREFIX X    
XML-NTEXT X    
XML-SCHEMA X    
XML-TEXT X    
ZERO X    
ZEROES X    
ZEROS X    

Related references  
Context-sensitive words