APPENDIX1.4 Appendix D. Reserved Words

This list identifies all reserved words in the COBOL for OS/390 & VM, COBOL Set for AIX, and VisualAge COBOL products. It also identifies words that are reserved in the COBOL 85 Standard (which are not reserved in the IBM COBOL products), and words reserved for future development.

Words marked under IBM COBOL are reserved words in the COBOL for OS/390 & VM, COBOL Set for AIX, and VisualAge COBOL products. These reserved words include both reserved words for IBM extensions and a subset of the COBOL 85 Standard reserved words.
Reserved words marked (1) are applicable only to AIX, OS/2, and Windows.
Words marked under Standard Only are COBOL 85 Standard reserved words for function not implemented in IBM COBOL products. If used as user-defined names, these words are flagged with an S-LEVEL message.
Words marked under RFD are reserved for future development and are flagged with an I-LEVEL message.
Words marked X(2) under RFD are reserved for future development under OS/390 and VM only.

Note: You can change which reserved word table is used by using the WORD compiler option. For details, on how to specify an alternate reserved word table, see the IBM COBOL Programming Guide for your platform.

Reserved Word	IBM COBOL	Standard Only	RFD

Table 58. Reserved Words
ACCEPT	X
ACCESS	X
ADD	X
ADDRESS	X
ADVANCING	X
AFTER	X
ALL	X
ALLOWING			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
APPLY	X
ARE	X
AREA	X
AREAS	X
ARITHMETIC			X
ASCENDING	X
ASSIGN	X
AT	X
AUTHOR	X
AUTOMATIC (1)	X
B-AND			X
B-EXOR			X
B-LESS			X
B-NOT			X
B-OR			X
BASIS	X
BEFORE	X
BEGINNING	X
BINARY	X
BIT			X
BITS			X
BLANK	X
BLOCK	X
BOOLEAN			X
BOTTOM	X
BY	X
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
COLLATING	X
COLUMN		X
COM-REG	X
COMMA	X
COMMIT			X
COMMON	X
COMMUNICATION		X
COMP	X
COMP-1	X
COMP-2	X
COMP-3	X
COMP-4	X
COMP-5 (1)	X		X(2)
COMP-6			X
COMP-7			X
COMP-8			X
COMP-9			X
COMPUTATIONAL	X
COMPUTATIONAL-1	X
COMPUTATIONAL-2	X
COMPUTATIONAL-3	X
COMPUTATIONAL-4	X
COMPUTATIONAL-5 (1)	X		X(2)
COMPUTATIONAL-6			X
COMPUTATIONAL-7			X
COMPUTATIONAL-8			X
COMPUTATIONAL-9			X
COMPUTE	X
CONFIGURATION	X
CONNECT			X
CONTAINED			X
CONTAINS	X
CONTENT	X
CONTINUE	X
CONTROL		X
CONTROLS		X
CONVERTING	X
COPY	X
CORR	X
CORRESPONDING	X
COUNT	X
CURRENCY	X
CURRENT			X
CYCLE			X
DATA	X
DATE	X
DATE-COMPILED	X
DATE-WRITTEN	X
DAY	X
DAY-OF-WEEK	X
DB			X
DB-ACCESS-CONTROL-KEY			X
DB-DATA-NAME			X
DB-EXCEPTION			X
DB-RECORD-NAME			X
DB-SET-NAME			X
DB-STATUS			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
DISCONNECT			X
DISPLAY	X
DISPLAY-1	X
DISPLAY-2			X
DISPLAY-3			X
DISPLAY-4			X
DISPLAY-5			X
DISPLAY-6			X
DISPLAY-7			X
DISPLAY-8			X
DISPLAY-9			X
DIVIDE	X
DIVISION	X
DOWN	X
DUPLICATE			X
DUPLICATES	X
DYNAMIC	X
EGCS	X
EGI		X
EJECT	X
ELSE	X
EMI		X
EMPTY			X
ENABLE		X
END	X
END-ADD	X
END-CALL	X
END-COMPUTE	X
END-DELETE	X
END-DISABLE			X
END-DIVIDE	X
END-ENABLE			X
END-EVALUATE	X
END-IF	X
END-INVOKE	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-SEND			X
END-START	X
END-STRING	X
END-SUBTRACT	X
END-TRANSCEIVE			X
END-UNSTRING	X
END-WRITE	X
ENDING	X
ENTER	X
ENTRY	X
ENVIRONMENT	X
EOP	X
EQUAL	X
EQUALS			X
ERASE			X
ERROR	X
ESI		X
EVALUATE	X
EVERY	X
EXACT			X
EXCEEDS			X
EXCEPTION	X
EXCLUSIVE			X
EXIT	X
EXTEND	X
EXTERNAL	X
FALSE	X
FD	X
FETCH			X
FILE	X
FILE-CONTROL	X
FILLER	X
FINAL		X
FIND			X
FINISH			X
FIRST	X
FOOTING	X
FOR	X
FORM			X
FORMAT	X
FREE			X
FROM	X
FUNCTION	X
GENERATE		X
GET			X
GIVING	X
GLOBAL	X
GO	X
GOBACK	X
GREATER	X
GROUP		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
INDEX-1			X
INDEX-2			X
INDEX-3			X
INDEX-4			X
INDEX-5			X
INDEX-6			X
INDEX-7			X
INDEX-8			X
INDEX-9			X
INDEXED	X
INDICATE		X
INHERITS	X
INITIAL	X
INITIALIZE	X
INITIATE		X
INPUT	X
INPUT-OUTPUT	X
INSERT	X
INSPECT	X
INSTALLATION	X
INTO	X
INVALID	X
INVOKE	X
IS	X
JUST	X
JUSTIFIED	X
KANJI	X
KEEP			X
KEY	X
LABEL	X
LAST		X
LD			X
LEADING	X
LEFT	X
LENGTH	X
LESS	X
LIMIT		X
LIMITS		X
LINAGE	X
LINAGE-COUNTER	X
LINE	X
LINE-COUNTER		X
LINES	X
LINKAGE	X
LOCALLY			X
LOCAL-STORAGE	X
LOCK	X
LOW-VALUE	X
LOW-VALUES	X
MEMBER			X
MEMORY	X
MERGE	X
MESSAGE		X
METACLASS	X
METHOD	X
METHOD-ID	X
MODE	X
MODIFY			X
MODULES	X
MORE-LABELS	X
MOVE	X
MULTIPLE	X
MULTIPLY	X
NATIVE	X
NEGATIVE	X
NEXT	X
NO	X
NORMAL			X
NOT	X
NULL	X
NULLS	X
NUMBER		X
NUMERIC	X
NUMERIC-EDITED	X
OBJECT	X
OBJECT-COMPUTER	X
OCCURS	X
OF	X
OFF	X
OMITTED	X
ON	X
ONLY			X
OPEN	X
OPTIONAL	X
OR	X
ORDER	X
ORGANIZATION	X
OTHER	X
OUTPUT	X
OVERFLOW	X
OVERRIDE	X
OWNER			X
PACKED-DECIMAL	X
PADDING	X
PAGE	X
PAGE-COUNTER		X
PARAGRAPH			X
PASSWORD	X
PERFORM	X
PF		X
PH		X
PIC	X
PICTURE	X
PLUS		X
POINTER	X
POSITION	X
POSITIVE	X
PRESENT			X
PREVIOUS (1)	X		X(2)
PRINTING		X
PRIOR			X
PROCEDURE	X
PROCEDURE-POINTER	X
PROCEDURES	X
PROCEED	X
PROCESSING	X
PROGRAM	X
PROGRAM-ID	X
PROTECTED			X
PURGE		X
QUEUE		X
QUOTE	X
QUOTES	X
RANDOM	X
RD		X
READ	X
READY	X
REALM			X
RECEIVE		X
RECONNECT			X
RECORD	X
RECORD-NAME			X
RECORDING	X
RECORDS	X
RECURSIVE	X
REDEFINES	X
REEL	X
REFERENCE	X
REFERENCES	X
RELATION			X
RELATIVE	X
RELEASE	X
RELOAD	X
REMAINDER	X
REMOVAL	X
RENAMES	X
REPEATED			X
REPLACE	X
REPLACING	X
REPORT		X
REPORTING		X
REPORTS		X
REPOSITORY	X
RERUN	X
RESERVE	X
RESET	X
RETAINING			X
RETRIEVAL			X
RETURN	X
RETURN-CODE	X
RETURNING	X
REVERSED	X
REWIND	X
REWRITE	X
RF		X
RH		X
RIGHT	X
ROLLBACK			X
ROUNDED	X
RUN	X
SAME	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
SESSION-ID			X
SET	X
SHARED			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
SPACE	X
SPACES	X
SPECIAL-NAMES	X
STANDARD	X
STANDARD-1	X
STANDARD-2	X
STANDARD-3			X
STANDARD-4			X
START	X
STATUS	X
STOP	X
STORE			X
STRING	X
SUB-QUEUE-1		X
SUB-QUEUE-2		X
SUB-QUEUE-3		X
SUB-SCHEMA			X
SUBTRACT	X
SUM	X
SUPER	X
SUPPRESS	X
SYMBOLIC	X
SYNC	X
SYNCHRONIZED	X
TABLE		X
TALLY	X
TALLYING	X
TAPE	X
TENANT			X
TERMINAL		X
TERMINATE		X
TEST	X
TEXT		X
THAN	X
THEN	X
THROUGH	X
THRU	X
TIME	X
TIMEOUT			X
TIMES	X
TITLE	X
TO	X
TOP	X
TRACE	X
TRAILING	X
TRANSCEIVE			X
TRUE	X
TYPE		X
UNEQUAL			X
UNIT	X
UNSTRING	X
UNTIL	X
UP	X
UPDATE			X
UPON	X
USAGE	X
USAGE-MODE			X
USE	X
USING	X
VALID			X
VALIDATE			X
VALUE	X
VALUES	X
VARYING	X
WAIT			X
WHEN	X
WHEN-COMPILED	X
WITH	X
WITHIN			X
WORDS	X
WORKING-STORAGE	X
WRITE	X
WRITE-ONLY	X
ZERO	X
ZEROES	X
ZEROS	X
<	X
<=	X
+	X
*	X
**	X
-	X
/	X
>	X
>=	X
=	X
Note: (1) These words are reserved under AIX, OS/2, and Windows only. (2) These words are reserved for future development (RFD) under OS/390 and VM only.

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APPENDIX1.4 Appendix D. Reserved Words

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