waiver

American  

[wey-ver] / ˈweɪ vər /

noun

1. Law.

   1. an intentional relinquishment of some right, interest, or the like.

   2. an express or written statement of such relinquishment.

2. Sports. an arrangement under which a professional player is released to become available to join a different team, which must then assume the player’s existing contract.

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waiver British  

/ ˈweɪvə /

noun

1. the voluntary relinquishment, expressly or by implication, of some claim or right

2. the act or an instance of relinquishing a claim or right

3. a formal statement in writing of such relinquishment

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Usage

What is a waiver? A waiver is an intentional or agreed upon release of your rights, usually in the form of a written contract.In the law, to waive your rights or interests is to purposely give them up. A waiver is this intentional giving up or the form that records your decision.Example: All you have to do to enter is to sign this waiver and give us your pass.

Etymology

Origin of waiver

First recorded in 1620–30; from Anglo-French weyver, noun use of weyver to waive; -er ³

Example Sentences

For all funds, the net expense ratios match the full expense ratios, except for PVAL’s small expense waiver mentioned above, and for the Touchstone U.S.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

President Trump issued a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act, allowing foreign-flagged vessels to transport commodities between U.S. ports.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

The White House announced a 60-day waiver for certain shipping rules on Wednesday.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

But Bessent did not go into detail about how a potential waiver would work or whether it could include rules to prevent money from the sales from flowing back to the Iranian government.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

A full-tuition waiver would require a near-perfect GPA.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• postponement
• remission