waive
Americanverb (used with object)
-
waives,
present (3rd person singular)
-
waived,
past participle, past
-
waiving
present participle
-
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
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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
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waivesimple
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waivessimple
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have waivedperfect
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has waivedperfect
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am waivingprogressive
-
are waivingprogressive
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is waivingprogressive
-
have been waivingperfect progressive
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has been waivingperfect progressive
Past
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waivedsimple
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had waivedperfect
-
was waivingprogressive
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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
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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.
See Examples For:
Before it does, it could set an example and waive limited liability for torts on its own; state law expressly allows that.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
While the fee is set by state tax code, governors can waive it in specific circumstances, as Schwarzenegger did.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
“I know how it feels to waive rent someone genuinely owes you,” he adds.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
The newer version does, however, give the White House more authority to waive the oil-and-gas importer penalties if it sees fit.
From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2026
When Deborah officially divorced Pullum in 2006, she had to itemize her income as part of a request for the judge to waive her filing fee.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
The special permit waives the Texas-based company’s compliance with a federal pipeline regulation and asserts that the federal agency has oversight of the oil venture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The agreement also waives banking and transport sanctions to facilitate transactions, an early financial benefit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
Frequent users can save $5 per order on average by signing up for the app’s subscription service, DashPass, which costs $9.99 per month or $96 per year and waives fees on certain orders, DoorDash said.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 6, 2026
They cannot be prosecuted for any crime unless their home country waives the immunity.
From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2025
Some Argie diplomat in New York, still harping on about the Belgrano being outside the zone, said Britain no longer rules the waves, it just waives the rules.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
But on Friday morning, the Rams announced they had waived Smith.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
The latter two sanctions remain part of the amended decision but the eight-point deduction for this season has been waived.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
To encourage some large traders to offer liquidity as market-makers, Kalshi has waived trading fees and provided monthly cash stipends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
If they’re still not budging, you can request other concessions, such as a discounted deposit, free parking or a waived pet fee.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
The rule was never waived, even when the temperature dropped to the fifties, and a cold, gray rain was falling.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
This would include waiving of taxes on animal feed inputs, as well as "active retail price monitoring to deter opportunity price gouging and rationing".
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Some sellers reported having to sign clauses waiving their right to compensation in the event of a drone strike on warehouse facilities.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
These are the full expense ratios except for four of the funds, which are temporarily waiving some expenses:
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
“By agreeing to this settlement, and waiving their right to appeal, Justin Baldoni and every individual defendant now face personal liability for abusing the legal system to silence and intimidate Ms. Lively,” the attorneys said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
The judge warned Joe repeatedly that a guilty plea meant waiving his right to a trial, his right to testify, and his right to appeal her ruling.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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.
