waiver

waiv·er | \ ˈwā-vər

Definition of waiver

1 : the act of intentionally relinquishing or abandoning a known right, claim, or privilege also : the legal instrument evidencing such an act

2 : the act of a club's waiving the right to claim a professional ball player who is being removed from another club's roster —often used in the phrase on waivers denoting the process by which a player to be removed from a roster is made available to other clubs

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Examples of waiver in a Sentence

a criminal defendant's waiver of a jury trial The college got a special waiver from the town to exceed the building height limit. He signed an insurance waiver before surgery.

Recent Examples on the Web The team attempted to claim former San Francisco 49ers kicker Chase McLaughlin off waivers earlier in the week. — BostonGlobe.com, "Folk was not New England’s first choice to fill the position. The team attempted to claim former San Francisco 49ers kicker," 7 Dec. 2019 In a corresponding move, the Broncos acquired center Patrick Morris off waivers from Pittsburgh. — Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, "Broncos defensive line ready for the challenge, opportunity that comes with playing without Derek Wolfe," 3 Dec. 2019 Comrie, 24, was claimed off waivers by the Coyotes in October but did not appear in an NHL game. — Richard Morin, azcentral, "Arizona Coyotes' best offseason acquisition might be Carl Soderberg," 30 Nov. 2019 Seth DeValve, claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Browns in early September, would be the next in line. — orlandosentinel.com, "Jaguars are dealing with tight-end turmoil for 2nd consecutive year," 21 Nov. 2019 That’s why the Panthers signed Mike Davis off waivers this week. — oregonlive, "Atlanta Falcons’ defense leads upset win over the Carolina Panthers: Recap, score, stats and more," 17 Nov. 2019 The 28-year-old, who had been with the Brewers since being claimed off waivers from Detroit in June 2015, played in 91 games, batting .228 over 232 at-bats with eight home runs and 18 RBI. — Tom Haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Hernán Pérez elects to be a free agent after being sent outright to AAA by the Brewers," 16 Oct. 2019 The Chargers lost defensive end Chris Peace to the New York Giants, who claimed the undrafted rookie off waivers. — Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, "Chargers ‘got to weather the storm’ as injuries to notable players swell," 30 Sep. 2019 Two other former Browns were claimed off waivers on Sunday. — Dan Labbe, cleveland.com, "Britton Colquitt to sign with Vikings; DeShone Kizer and Seth DeValve claimed off waivers," 1 Sep. 2019

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

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Last Updated

10 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Waiver.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waiver. Accessed 15 December 2019.

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More Definitions for waiver

waiver

noun

Financial Definition of waiver

What It Is

A waiver is a party's voluntary renunciation of rights in a contractual arrangement.

How It Works

When two parties enter into a contract, they often agree to forfeit some of their respective rights or claims. Either party may use a waiver -- expressed either in writing or through the performance of a specific deed -- to officially give up a privilege, right, or claim.

For example, one party might sign a waiver stating that he or she will not take legal action against the other party if there is some unintentional wrongdoing.

Why It Matters

It is important to remember that a party who signs a waiver is surrendering his or her right to pursue a course of action (file a lawsuit, receive compensation, etc). In most cases, a party will sign a waiver only if he or she receives a benefit in exchange for doing so.

Source: Investing Answers

waiver

noun

English Language Learners Definition of waiver

: the act of choosing not to use or require something that you are allowed to have or that is usually required

: an official document indicating that someone has given up or waived a right or requirement

See the full definition for waiver in the English Language Learners Dictionary

waiver

noun

waiv·er | \ ˈwā-vər

Legal Definition of waiver

: the act of intentionally or knowingly relinquishing or abandoning a known right, claim, or privilege also : the legal instrument evidencing such an act — compare estoppel, forfeiture

Note: Acts or statements made while forming or carrying out a contract may constitute a waiver and prevent a party from enforcing a contractual right (as when an insurer is barred from disclaiming liability because of facts known to it when it issued the insurance policy). Varying standards are applied by courts to determine if there has been a waiver of various constitutional rights (such as the right to counsel) in criminal cases.

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