waive

verb

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 Romero's arraignment was held in Jackson County on Thursday, but the defendant waived his right to appear in person, according to the Jackson County Herald-Tribune. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2024 Only three days after charges were filed, Hartmann, 42, waived his preliminary hearing and pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of misconduct in a public office, according to online court reports. Adrienne Davis, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 Committed gym families might be interested in a free Founders Club membership, available for a limited time, which waives the $65 annual enrollment fee and slashes prices of classes for life, according to the company’s website. Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 In addition to waiving Jihoo’s adoption fee (which would have been $100), the shelter also equipped Moncayo with supplies for his new pup, including a crate, food, toys and a leash. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Library staff members will decide what fees can be waived with cat pictures. Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 The team will sign Harry Giles III, creating the roster spot by waiving Dylan Windler, according to people with knowledge of the situation who are not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Of course, Amazon will waive these new fees if sellers decide to pay for AWD instead. Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024 The 30-year-old guard, who signed with the Lakers as a free agent earlier in the month after being waived by the Toronto Raptors following the NBA trade deadline, entered the game averaging 4.8 points on 31% shooting to go with 3.4 assists. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'waive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of waive was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near waive

Cite this Entry

“Waive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

waive

verb
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
waived; waiving
1
: to relinquish (as a right or privilege) voluntarily and intentionally
the defendant waived a felony hearing on the chargeNational Law Journal
compare forfeit, reserve
2
: to refrain from enforcing or requiring
some statutes waive the age requirementW. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on waive

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