waive

as in to deny
to officially say that you will not use or require something that you are allowed to have or that is usually required She waived her right to a lawyer. The university waives the application fee for low-income students.

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word waive different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of waive are abandon, relinquish, resign, surrender, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

When is it sensible to use abandon instead of waive?

The synonyms abandon and waive are sometimes interchangeable, but abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

When is relinquish a more appropriate choice than waive?

The words relinquish and waive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

When might resign be a better fit than waive?

In some situations, the words resign and waive are roughly equivalent. However, resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

When could surrender be used to replace waive?

While the synonyms surrender and waive are close in meaning, surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

Where would yield be a reasonable alternative to waive?

The words yield and waive can be used in similar contexts, but yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of waive An open roster spot is already present after the team waived wide receiver Jalen Cropper earlier in the week. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2025 Board Director Blair Contratto cast the lone vote against waiving attorney-client privilege. Claire Wang, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025 Now his family, and other supporters, are hoping the deportation order will be waived in light of the exoneration and wrongful imprisonment. Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025 On top of that, Joong-keun is proposing the state implement a new tax deduction system to waive corporate and income tax so the employees can receive full benefits of the parenting incentives and more companies can follow suit. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for waive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waive
Verb
  • The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Rose has denied many of the allegations and the case is ongoing.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Prior to his takeover, the sister pageants suffered some shakeups, most notably after the 2023 adult and junior winners, Miss USA Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastav, relinquished their titles.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • This incident comes just days after Prince Andrew relinquished his remaining royal titles.
    Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Waive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waive. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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