waive

verb \ ˈwāv \

|Updated on: 19 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: waive in a Sentence

Definition of waive

waived; waiving

transitive verb

1 archaic : give up, forsake

2 : to throw away (stolen goods)

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

4 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

5 : to put off from immediate consideration : postpone

[influenced by ¹wave]

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

waived the problem aside

7 : to place (a ball player) on waivers; also : to release after placing on waivers

See waive defined for English-language learners

See waive defined for kids

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 of waive from the Web

Just minutes before the trade deadline last season, Verlander and Upton deliberated together before the pitcher decided to waive his no-trade clause to be sent to Houston.

— kirkland crawford, Detroit Free Press, "Kate Upton, former Tigers star Justin Verlander expecting first child," 14 July 2018
In 2016, Judge Kavanaugh ruled that employers can require employees to waive their right to picket.

— sam dangremond, Town & Country, "Yale Law Students and Alumni Denounce School's Support of Brett Kavanaugh," 11 July 2018
The governor directed the Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management District to waive various restrictions and regulations to store water in additional areas south of the lake.

— jim turner, Sun-Sentinel.com, "White House backs Everglades reservoir," 11 July 2018
Anthony has already agreed to waive his no-trade clause to make a deal work.

— scooby axson, SI.com, "NBA Free Agency Rumors: Marcus Smart Meets With Four Teams; OKC Preparing Carmelo Deal," 11 July 2018
Sabraw avoided putting his opinion on the record, but did ask what happens if a parent doesn’t want to waive either right.

— kristina davis, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Trump administration says detained parents must decide whether to keep families intact," 10 July 2018
Trump last agreed to waive the sanctions in January, but his frustration with the agreement has only grown since then.

— Fortune, "Donald Trump: The U.S. Will Withdraw From the Iran Nuclear Deal," 8 May 2018
Under terms of the Iran deal, the United States is supposed to waive sanctions, which come up for review every three or four months, as long as Iran continues to abstain from developing nuclear weapons.

— matt viser, BostonGlobe.com, "President Trump blasts John Kerry for ‘shadow diplomacy’ on Iran deal," 7 May 2018
Under the current arrangement, the president must decide whether to waive sanctions on different components of the Iran deal every 90 days.

— amanda erickson, chicagotribune.com, "All the different ways Trump could go on the Iran deal," 7 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'waive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of waive

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of 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

WAIVE Defined for English Language Learners

waive

verb

Definition of waive for English Language Learners

: to officially say that you will not use or require something that you are allowed to have or that is usually required

WAIVE Defined for Kids

waive

verb \ ˈwāv \

Definition of waive for Students

waived; waiving

: to give up claim to

Law Dictionary

waive

transitive verb \ ˈwāv \

legal Definition of waive

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

Origin and Etymology of waive

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