Synonyms

Waves

American

[weyvz] / weɪvz /

Or WAVES

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

the Women's Reserve of the U.S. Naval Reserve, the distinct force of women enlistees in the U.S. Navy, organized during World War II.

WAVES British

/ weɪvz /

acronym

Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service; the women's reserve of the US navy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Waves

1942; W(omen) A(ccepted for) V(olunteer) E(mergency) S(ervice)

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.

Battlefield 6 won best audio design, while open-world action RPG Wuthering Waves was a surprising winner in the fan-voted Player's Voice category.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

Waves in any climate can reduce transit speed and lead to accidents.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

The USC Trojans won their second straight game, beating the Pepperdine Waves 82–52 at Galen Center on Friday.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 28, 2025

The arrest followed a US extradition request received by Guyana on Thursday, according to the Demerara Waves news outlet.

From Barron's • Nov. 1, 2025

Waves of rumor and paranoia swept through the countryside, enveloping especially the powerless.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023