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

This time, instead of the 2003 law, the Biden administration anchored its new plan with authority in the 1965 Higher Education Act, which allows the education secretary to compromise, waive or release loans under certain circumstances. —Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024

But some low and middle-income borrowers could see more than $20,000 of interest-specific costs waived. —Bo Erickson, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024

April 3rd through April 7th, the campaign will waive adoption fees for anyone looking to give a furry friend a forever home. —Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 6 Apr. 2024

The pair have waived their right to spousal support. —Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024

Both firms agreed to waive a 35-cent transaction fee for Miami Beach residents. —Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024

This may include offering at or above asking price, waiving inspections and offering flexible close dates for the sellers. —Jackie Reed, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024

When Sandmann appealed to the Supreme Court, the media outlets waived their right to respond. —Andrew Wolfson, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024

However, unlike Amazon, both Microsoft and Google will only waive fees for those who outright cancel their cloud accounts. —David Meyer, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2024

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