waive

verb \ ˈwāv \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 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

Patron Manager, the ticket vendor for Chesapeake Shakespeare, will waive its processing fees in support of the fundraising.

— tim smith, baltimoresun.com, "Chesapeake Shakespeare Company to give benefit performances for Ellicott City," 6 June 2018
The August sales tax holiday will waive the state's 5% sales tax, as well as local sales taxes, for five days on a variety of school supplies and pieces of clothing priced at less than $75 each.

— patrick marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Here's how to sign up for Wisconsin's $100 per-child tax rebate," 15 May 2018
The lender will waive overdraft fees and interest charges in April for its retail and small business customers, as well as increase the interest rate on its Classic Plus account to 5 percent from 3 percent.

— Bloomberg.com, "TSB CEO Apologizes to U.K. Lawmakers for IT System `Shambles'," 2 May 2018
Under the 2005 Real ID act, the Department of Homeland Security can waive various environmental laws that might otherwise slow or halt construction in a sensitive area.

— christophe haubursin, Vox, "How Trump’s border wall could impact the environment," 13 Apr. 2018
Finkelstein repeated that Cruz will plead guilty if the death penalty is waived.

— curt anderson, chicagotribune.com, "Lawyer says Parkland shooting suspect needs public defender," 11 Apr. 2018
In some states a defendant can’t waive a jury trial without the permission of the prosecutor, but in Missouri the judge can grant the waiver.

— kelsey landis, kansascity, "Gov. Greitens' lawyers ask to move trial from May to early April | The Kansas City Star," 19 Mar. 2018
The city would waive any license fee for a brick and mortar restaurant that also has a food truck.

— steve lord, Aurora Beacon-News, "Aurora may start regulating food trucks," 7 Mar. 2018
Among larger districts like the Alamo Colleges, the Collin and Tarrant districts do not waive any tuition or fees.

— alia malik, San Antonio Express-News, "Alamo Colleges facing hard choices to keep dual credit programs," 5 Mar. 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