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 COBOL for Linux® and words that you should avoid because they might be reserved in a future release of COBOL for Linux.

  • Words marked X under Reserved are reserved for function implemented in COBOL for Linux. 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 COBOL for Linux. 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 COBOL for Linux. 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.

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    
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-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    
JSON-CODE     X
JUST X    
JUSTIFIED X    
KANJI X    
KEY X    
LABEL X    
LAST   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    
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    
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 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    
VAL-STATUS     X
VALID     X
VALIDATE     X
VALIDATE-STATUS     X
VALUE X    
VALUES X    
VARYING 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-NTEXT X    
XML-SCHEMA X    
XML-TEXT X    
ZERO X    
ZEROES X    
ZEROS X