Waive Meaning
/weɪv/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo relinquish (a right etc.); to give up claim to; to forgo.
verbTo relinquish (a right etc.); to give up claim to; to forgo., To relinquish claim on a payment or fee which would otherwise be due.
Sentence Examples
Tom does not want to waive his right to a jury trial.
Can you waive the fee for me?
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company decided to ____ the late fee because of the customer's emergency.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The bank decided to ____ the fee for the transaction because of the technical problems with their computer system today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English weyven (“to avoid, renounce”), from Anglo-Norman weyver (“to abandon, allow to become a waif”), from Old French waif (“waif”), from gaiver (“to abandon”), ultimately of Scandinavian/North Germanic origin; see weyver.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Exhibiting what the dramatic critics call a "fine restraint," he waives his timely opportunity for discourse upon the celebrated gyascutus, which, as any Northwestern tourist will tell you, haunts the slopes of the most precipitous mountains—always evading capture because its legs, shorter on the one side of the body than on the other, are peculiarly adapted to scooting up an inclined plane."
— 1907, John Ames Mitchell, Life - Volume 50, page 270:
"The federal government will ban the import of live northern snakeheads beginning Friday, waiving the normal 30-day waiting period"
— 2002 March 10, Kory Dodd, “Feds Announce Regs to Ban 'Frankenfish' Imports”, in FOX News:
"While there’s no reliable data on micro-housing, some notable policies and projects are popping up on that front too. Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg waived the city’s zoning standards to allow micro-apartments."
— 2016 December 28, Dan Hernandez, “Is an even smaller New York apartment the key to sustainable living?”, in The Guardian:
"Nearly 1,200 players will be cut, waived, or sent packing, and the scramble to land on a practice squad or catch on elsewhere will move fast."
— 2025 August 24, Ryan Miller, “NFL roster cuts 2025: What to know about 53-man deadline, waivers, and practice squads”, in Rochester Democrat and Chronicle:
"Jaden Ivey has played his last game in Chicago, with the Bulls waiving Ivey following his controversial comments on social media about the LGBTQ community."
— 2026 March 31, Chris Mannix, “Chris Mannix’s NBA Notes: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks Future, Jaden Ivey’s Ugly Exit”, in Sports Illustrated:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company decided to ____ the late fee because of the customer's emergency.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The bank decided to ____ the fee for the transaction because of the technical problems with their computer system today.