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
Rodríguez said emergency economic measures will include relief funds for victims and temporary waivers on documentation and property registration fees to facilitate housing relocation.
—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
3 July 2026
In order to have legally operated the drone, Alvarez must have obtained an airman’s certificate and a waiver, among other requirements, according to the statement.
—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 July 2026
Forward Barclay Goodrow has played 427 games with the Sharks, but is in his second stint with the team after he was plucked off waivers from the New York Rangers in June 2024.
—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
3 July 2026
Congress could move toward overhauling this outdated law – for example, by allowing states to seek waivers from ERISA’s constraints.
—
Miranda Yaver,
The Conversation,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for waiver
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.
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
3 July 2026
In order to have legally operated the drone, Alvarez must have obtained an airman’s certificate and a waiver, among other requirements, according to the statement.
—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 July 2026
Forward Barclay Goodrow has played 427 games with the Sharks, but is in his second stint with the team after he was plucked off waivers from the New York Rangers in June 2024.
—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
3 July 2026
Congress could move toward overhauling this outdated law – for example, by allowing states to seek waivers from ERISA’s constraints.
—
Miranda Yaver,
The Conversation,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for waiver
Cite this Entry
“Waiver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waiver. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
waiver
noun
waiv·er
ˈwā-vər 
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
: 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
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