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.

Waves of strikes by guards and other staff have periodically closed galleries, with unions warning about understaffing, safety risks and the pressures of managing millions of visitors annually.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

Waves crash along the Palm Beach shoreline and a drone shot swoops over the grounds of Mar-a-Lago before landing at a pair of stilettos donned by Melania Trump.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

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 for the masses continue until about 12:00, with many taking part in the race to raise money for charities.

From BBC • Sep. 7, 2025

Waves broke over the bows, where bucketfuls of water streamed through the flimsy decking.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

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