waive
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to refrain from claiming or insisting on; give up; forgo.
to waive one's right;
to waive one's rank;
to waive honors.
- Antonyms:
- demand
-
Law. to relinquish (a known right, interest, etc.) intentionally.
-
to put aside for the time; defer; dispense with.
to waive formalities.
-
to put aside or dismiss from consideration or discussion.
waiving my attempts to explain.
verb
-
to set aside or relinquish
to waive one's right to something
-
to refrain from enforcing (a claim) or applying (a law, penalty, etc)
-
to defer
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
waivesimple
-
waivessimple
-
have waivedperfect
-
has waivedperfect
-
am waivingprogressive
-
are waivingprogressive
-
is waivingprogressive
-
have been waivingperfect progressive
-
has been waivingperfect progressive
Past
-
waivedsimple
-
had waivedperfect
-
was waivingprogressive
-
were waivingprogressive
-
had been waivingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of waive
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English weyven, from Anglo-French weyver “to make a homeless child (of someone) by forsaking or outlawing (that person)”; see waif ( def. )
Explanation
To waive is to give up one's right to do something. If you waive your right to help name your family's new puppy, you can't complain if he ends up being called "Mr. Tinkerbell Sweetheart Lovey-Face." Waive comes from a Middle English word meaning to abandon; the word waif, which refers to a neglected or orphaned child, shares the same root. However, while abandoning a child on a street corner is not okay, waiving one's right to do something is in most cases perfectly acceptable. A document stating one's decision to give up one's rights is appropriately called a waiver.
Vocabulary lists containing waive
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
American Football, 3rd Quarter
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
County Judge Ron Massingill asked the commissioners to take a nonbinding vote signaling the officials wanted the business and would be willing to waive its property taxes.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
The removal of software restrictions on the service’s weapons and radar systems—a technique known as “jailbreaking”—required the service to waive more than 700 pages of regulatory requirements.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
“For this episode, we have decided to waive further enforcement of this standard industry practice until additional review,” the statement said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
Sir Grant also declined to answer a series of detailed questions from Sir Laurie, citing "legal obligations of confidentiality which I cannot unilaterally waive".
From BBC • May 19, 2026
“I waive shifgrethor,” said Yegey, “what are you getting at, Estraven?”
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
