waiver

noun

waiv·​er ˈwā-vər How to pronounce waiver (audio)
1
: the act of intentionally relinquishing or abandoning a known right, claim, or privilege
also : the legal instrument evidencing such an act
2
: the act of a club's waiving the right to claim a professional ball player who is being removed from another club's roster
often used in the phrase on waivers denoting the process by which a player to be removed from a roster is made available to other clubs

Examples of waiver in a Sentence

a criminal defendant's waiver of a jury trial The college got a special waiver from the town to exceed the building height limit. He signed an insurance waiver before surgery.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Heat values Smith, who is recovering from a torn Achilles’, and is reluctant to subject him to waivers. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025 Each volunteer must complete an information form and a liability waiver. Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025 Also, the ordinance states that any waivers to the requirements must be approved by the council. Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025 Judging by the advanced stats, Lawrence fell off in 2024, which likely played into the Rockies’ decision to put him on the waiver wire on Saturday. Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for waiver

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French weyver, from waiver, verb

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of waiver was in 1628

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Waiver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waiver. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

waiver

noun
waiv·​er ˈwā-vər How to pronounce waiver (audio)
1
: the act of intentionally giving up a right, claim, or privilege
2
: a document containing a declaration of a waiver

Legal Definition

waiver

noun
waiv·​er ˈwā-vər How to pronounce waiver (audio)
: the act of intentionally or knowingly relinquishing or abandoning a known right, claim, or privilege
also : the legal instrument evidencing such an act compare estoppel, forfeiture

Note: Acts or statements made while forming or carrying out a contract may constitute a waiver and prevent a party from enforcing a contractual right (as when an insurer is barred from disclaiming liability because of facts known to it when it issued the insurance policy). Varying standards are applied by courts to determine if there has been a waiver of various constitutional rights (such as the right to counsel) in criminal cases.

Etymology

Anglo-French, from waiver to waive

More from Merriam-Webster on waiver

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!