waive

verb

ˈwāv 

waived; waiving

transitive verb

1

a

: to relinquish (something, such as a legal right) voluntarily

waive a jury trial

b

: to refrain from pressing or enforcing (something, such as a claim or rule) : forgo

waive the fee

2

: to put off from immediate consideration : postpone

3

[influenced by wave entry 1] : to dismiss with or as if with a wave of the hand

waived the problem aside

4

: to place (a ball player) on waivers

also : to release after placing on waivers

5

: to throw away (stolen goods)

6

archaic : give up, forsake

7

archaic : to shunt aside (a danger or duty) : evade

Choose the Right Synonym for waive

relinquish, yield, resign, surrender, abandon, waive mean to give up completely.

relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

Examples of waive in a Sentence

She waived her right to a lawyer.

The university waives the application fee for low-income students.

Recent Examples on the Web

Declining to waive is a defensive strategy that would give his attorneys access to additional discovery materials and a chance to cross-examine state witnesses early on, Rice said. —Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025

Days later, the Jets waived Xavier Gipson, the returner who lost that fumble, a Parcellsian response if there ever was one. —Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025

The Center for Biological Diversity, a national nonprofit conservation organization, voiced its opposition to waiving laws and regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, to build more border barriers. —Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025

The fee is waived if the owner has died and the vehicle is being transferred to an immediate family member. —Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 28 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English weiven to decline, reject, give up, from Anglo-French waiver, gaiver, from waif lost, stray — more at waif

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Rhymes for waive

• brave
• cave
• clave
• crave
• fave
• gave
• grave
• knave
• lave
• nave
• pave
• rave

Kids Definition

waive

verb

ˈwāv 

waived; waiving

1

: to give up claim to

waived her right to answer

2

: to let pass

waive the fee

3

: to dismiss with or as if with a wave of the hand

waived the problem aside

Legal Definition

waive

transitive verb

ˈwāv 

waived; waiving

1

: to relinquish (as a right or privilege) voluntarily and intentionally

the defendant waived a felony hearing on the charge

—National Law Journal

compare forfeit, reserve

2

: to refrain from enforcing or requiring

some statutes waive the age requirement

—W. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

waivable adjective

Etymology

Anglo-French waiver, weiver, literally to abandon, forsake, from waif, weif forlorn, stray, probably from Old Norse veif something loose or flapping