disclaimer

American  

[dis-klay-mer] / dɪsˈkleɪ mər /

noun

• disclaimers
  plural

1. the act of disclaiming; the renouncing, repudiating, or denying of a claim; disavowal.

2. a person who disclaims.

3. a statement, document, or assertion that disclaims responsibility, affiliation, etc.; disavowal; denial.

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disclaimer British  

/ dɪsˈkleɪmə /

noun

1. a repudiation or denial

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Usage

What does disclaimer mean? A disclaimer is a statement or document intended to limit the responsibility or legal liability of a company, organization, or person. Disclaimers typically claim that the party issuing the disclaimer is NOT responsible for certain risks or is NOT affiliated with certain other parties—they make as many statements as they can to deny responsibility. Example: The disclaimer at the bottom of the page says that this information should be used for entertainment purposes only.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• disclaimers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of disclaimer

1400–50; late Middle English < Anglo-French: to disclaim

Compare meaning

How does disclaimer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• disclaimer vs. disclosure

Explanation

A disclaimer is a statement that rejects a legal claim. If you're speaking on Russian history and don't want to be quoted, offer a disclaimer that all your information comes from Wikipedia and you're not responsible for its accuracy. A claim is the assertion that you have a right to something, so a disclaimer is the opposite: the rejection of a claim. If you don't want to keep the money you're inheriting, you can file a disclaimer and pass all the money on to a charity. Although disclaimer comes from talking about legal claims, we also use it in general to mean "denial" or "repudiation."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

disclaimer disclaimers

There was a telltale uncanniness to it—people clapping too slowly, as if underwater—but there was no disclaimer that it was fake.

From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026

Despite Sun’s disclaimer that his account was fiction, some in the Chinese public treated his essay as fact.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

There is a disclaimer before each episode stating that their cross-country excursion is funded by a nonprofit and no taxpayer dollars were used to pay for the series.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

“If an unwanted inheritance is anticipated from a family member, it might be beneficial to use a qualified disclaimer to reject the bequest,” says Baker Tilly, a New York-based advisory, tax and assurance firm.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

“I’m not allowed to play any game with a disclaimer on the cover,” I said.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling

"Healthcare companies have a responsibility to keep their public claims accurate and current -- ineffective, fine-print disclaimers do not fix the misleading impression created by major national campaigns."

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Ghosh is now the director of campaign finance reform at the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center, which has filed a petition asking the FEC to require disclaimers on paid content created by influencers.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026

Social media companies say AI‑generated content should always be labelled, but the BBC found multiple examples where disclaimers were hidden, unclear or missing.

From BBC ● May 7, 2026

Financial firms such as Fidelity, Vanguard and Charles Schwab said they routinely allow qualified disclaimers, but some sponsors might not.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

As soon as we get off the bus, Sam starts giving me disclaimers and warnings.

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson

Related Words

• clause
• retraction
• waiver