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

The suspect appeared before a judge Monday afternoon and through his public attorney waived his right to a speedy trial. —Alex Stone, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2023

The Biden administration quietly reversed a Trump administration ruling, granting a offshore wind developer's request to waive a significant fee. —Fox News, 1 Dec. 2023

The City Council approved a resolution at its Nov. 13 meeting to waive competitive bidding to purchase the equipment for the park for almost $201,000 from ACS Playground. —Lynn Kutter, arkansasonline.com, 28 Nov. 2023

Customers are charged $5.99 for either shipping or same-day delivery, a fee that is waived for orders of $35 or more. —Liz Young, WSJ, 14 Nov. 2023

The story moved President Reagan, propelling the federal government to allow states to waive some Medicaid requirements so that people could get services in their homes instead of institutions. —Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023

Another option is to place a pick up or delivery order, especially at stores where the fee is waived. —Madison Medeiros, Parents, 23 Oct. 2023

The judge ruled in Bal’s favor, and the debt was waived. —Robin Kaiser-Schatzlein, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023

George Santos’ Ex-Campaign Treasurer to Plead Guilty to Felony as Congressman Faces His Own Federal Indictment Miele's guilty plea comes weeks after a former campaign treasurer for Santos, Nancy Marks, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to conspiring with a Congressional candidate to defraud. —Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023

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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

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