waive

[weyv]

verb (used with object)

waived, waiving 

1. to refrain from claiming or insisting on; give up; forgo.

   to waive one's right;

   to waive one's rank;

   to waive honors.

   Synonyms: surrender, renounce, renounce, resign, resign
   Antonyms: demand

2. Law.,  to relinquish (a known right, interest, etc.) intentionally.

3. to put aside for the time; defer; dispense with.

   to waive formalities.

4. to put aside or dismiss from consideration or discussion.

   waiving my attempts to explain.

waive

/ weɪv /

verb

1. to set aside or relinquish

   to waive one's right to something

2. to refrain from enforcing (a claim) or applying (a law, penalty, etc)

3. to defer

Word History and Origins

Origin of waive¹

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)”; waif ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of waive¹

C13: from Old Northern French weyver, from waif abandoned; see _waif

Example Sentences

To allay fears, GM tried to get every single worker to sign an agreement waiving their right to sue in exchange for compensation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Universities with an endowment of $2 million per undergraduate student are asked to waive tuition for students who pursue “hard science” programs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Before canceling, some customers ask to have the annual fee reduced or waived, LendingTree’s Schulz said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

McMahon has encouraged states to ask her to waive rules on spending the money.

Read more on Salon

Those rules are only waived in extraordinary circumstances.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abandon 
• allow 
• defer 
• forgo 
• grant 
• hand over 
• postpone 
• put off 
• reject 
• relinquish 
• remove 
• renounce 
• set aside 
• shelve 
• surrender 
• suspend 
• turn over