waive

waive — verb

1. to decide not to insist on a rule, right, or claim when you have the legal or of

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to decide not to insist on a rule, right, or claim when you have the legal or official power to enforce it — for example, a bank waiving a late fee, or a defendant waiving their right to a jury trial.

Example

The bank agreed to waive the late fee after Christopher explained his situation.

collocation: waive a fee

Ilan waived his right to a jury trial by signing the court document.

collocation: waive a right

Common collocations
  • waive a fee
  • waive a right
  • waive a requirement
  • waive immunity
  • waive a rule
  • waive the waiting period
  • waive a penalty
Synonyms
  • relinquish

    suggests giving up something you hold or possess, often physical or tangible; more formal than waive

  • forgo

    emphasises choosing not to have or do something enjoyable; less legalistic than waive

  • dispense with

    phrasal verb meaning to do away with a rule or procedure; slightly less formal

Antonyms
  • enforce

    to insist that a rule or law be obeyed

  • assert

    to actively demand or insist on a right you have

Grammar Patterns

waive + noun phrase

be waived

Usage Note

Frequently passive. The thing being waived must be something the speaker or institution has the right to enforce — you cannot waive a rule that does not apply to you. Common in legal, financial, and bureaucratic contexts.

Common Mistakes

I waived my doctor's appointment this morning.
I cancelled my doctor's appointment this morning.
'waive' is not a general synonym for 'cancel'; it only applies to giving up a right, rule, or requirement.
The manager waived the employee for being late.
The manager excused the employee for being late.' or 'The manager chose not to enforce the late policy.
'waive' takes the rule/requirement as its object, not the person.

2. in US professional sports leagues, to take a player off your team's official ros

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

in US professional sports leagues, to take a player off your team's official roster so that other teams can sign that player before they become available to any team.

Example

The Mavericks waived the veteran guard to free up salary cap space.

collocation: waive a player

After Élise was waived by the Storm, she was picked up by the Mercury.

passive: was waived by [team]

Common collocations
  • waive a player
  • clear waivers
  • be waived by [team]
  • claim a player off waivers
  • put a player on waivers
Synonyms
  • cut

    more informal and general; used in both professional and amateur sports

  • release

    broader meaning; also used for contract terminations outside sports

Grammar Patterns

be waived by + team

waive + player

Usage Note

Primarily used in US professional sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, WNBA). The process is called 'waivers', and a player who goes through it successfully is said to have 'cleared waivers'. Not used in non-professional or most international sports contexts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe giving something up, but they differ in register and object type. 'Waive' is the most procedural: you waive a rule, right, or fee that you are entitled to enforce — it is a deliberate, often formal decision not to insist on something. 'Relinquish' suggests releasing something you hold or possess, including tangible items ('relinquish control of the company'), and carries a tone of yielding or surrendering. 'Forgo' is simpler and less legal: it means choosing not to have or enjoy something, often for a practical reason ('forgo dessert to save money'). 'Renounce' is the strongest and most dramatic: it means declaring publicly that you reject or give up something permanently, such as a belief, title, or citizenship. Use 'waive' for official processes, 'relinquish' for power or possessions, 'forgo' for everyday choices, and 'renounce' for ideological or identity-based decisions. For example, a defendant might waive the right to a jury but would not 'renounce' it unless they were also denouncing the legal system itself.

waive ↗relinquishforgorenounce

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • choose to waive
  • agree to waive
  • decide to waive

Prepositions

Etymology

Anglo-FrenchEnglish

Waive entered English through Anglo-French legal terminology, from the verb 'weyver', meaning to abandon or forsake. In medieval English common law, it was used specifically for a woman who was 'waived' (abandoned by legal protection) rather than 'outlawed'. By the 17th century the meaning had broadened to voluntary relinquishment of a right or claim. The sports sense, referring to 'waivers' for player transfers, appeared in American baseball around the late 1800s.