waive

/weɪv/ formal

Say it: WAYV

1. verb To voluntarily refrain from demanding or enforcing a right, claim, or privilege.
He agreed to waive his right to a lawyer to speed up the process.
2. verb To choose not to apply a rule, fee, or requirement in a particular case.
The university will waive the application fee for low-income students.
3. verb To set aside or dismiss something from consideration.
Let's waive the formalities and get straight to the point.

📖 Seen in the wild

The university decided to waive the application fee for students demonstrating financial need.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ waive in a sentence

The bank agreed to waive the overdraft charges as a gesture of goodwill.
In the plea agreement, the prosecutor waived the possibility of seeking a life sentence.
She waived her claim to the inheritance to avoid a lengthy court battle with her siblings.
To attract more vendors, the festival organizers decided to waive the booth rental fee.
The player was placed on waivers, meaning any other team could claim his contract.
If you can prove prior experience, the department may waive the introductory course requirement.
He waived aside my apologies, insisting it was no big deal.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

relinquish forgo renounce forbear surrender cede abdicate remit

relinquish · implies giving up something you possess, often with reluctance.

forgo · suggests voluntarily giving up something desirable or pleasurable.

renounce · a more formal and often public act of rejecting a claim, belief, or title.

forbear · emphasizes self-restraint in not exercising a right you have.

Opposites: claim, assert, enforce, demand, insist on

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'waive' entered English from Anglo-Norman French 'weyver', meaning 'to abandon' or 'renounce'. This term is likely related to the Old Norse 'veifa', meaning 'to wave or swing'. The connection is the idea of 'waving something away' or casting it aside, which evolved into the modern legal sense of voluntarily giving up a right.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

waive a rightwaive a feewaive a requirementwaive chargeswaive a jury trialwaive a claim

The most common mistake is confusing 'waive' with 'wave'. Remember that 'waive' always involves giving something up, like a right or a fee. It is a formal term used in official contexts; you wouldn't typically 'waive' your turn in a board game, you would 'skip' it. The action is always intentional; one cannot accidentally waive a right.

Word family: waiver

💬 Quick answers

What is the difference between 'waive' and 'wave'?

'Waive' means to give up a right or not enforce a rule. 'Wave' is a physical gesture with your hand or the movement of water. They sound the same but have completely different meanings.

What does it mean to 'waive a fee'?

It means an organization has decided not to charge you a fee that you would normally have to pay. It is an act of exemption or forgiveness for a specific charge.

Is 'waive' a formal word?

Yes, 'waive' is considered a formal word, commonly used in legal, official, and business contexts. In casual conversation, you might say 'let it go' or 'skip it'.

What is the noun for 'waive'?

The noun form is 'waiver', which refers to the document or act of intentionally giving up a right or claim.

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