waive

verb

Definition of waivenext
as in to deny
to officially say that you will not use or require something that you are allowed to have or that is usually required She waived her right to a lawyer. The university waives the application fee for low-income students.

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word waive different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of waive are abandon, relinquish, resign, surrender, and yield. While all these words mean "to give up completely," waive implies conceding or forgoing with little or no compulsion.

waived the right to a trial by jury

When is it sensible to use abandon instead of waive?

The synonyms abandon and waive are sometimes interchangeable, but abandon stresses finality and completeness in giving up.

abandoned all hope

When is relinquish a more appropriate choice than waive?

The words relinquish and waive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relinquish usually does not imply strong feeling but may suggest some regret, reluctance, or weakness.

relinquished her crown

When might resign be a better fit than waive?

In some situations, the words resign and waive are roughly equivalent. However, resign emphasizes voluntary relinquishment or sacrifice without struggle.

resigned her position

When could surrender be used to replace waive?

While the synonyms surrender and waive are close in meaning, surrender implies a giving up after a struggle to retain or resist.

surrendered their claims

Where would yield be a reasonable alternative to waive?

The words yield and waive can be used in similar contexts, but yield implies concession or compliance or submission to force.

the troops yielded ground grudgingly

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of waive He was waived ahead of the cut deadline last summer and bounced on and off the Eagles’ practice squad during the first month of the season. —Mike Kaye updated May 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026 The Tegna merger required the FCC to waive a 39% national TV audience ownership cap. —Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026 Just two days after being announced as part of the 2026 roster for the Dream, Winterburn was waived so the team could pick up Aaliyah Nye. —Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 Is there a chance Richardson is waived? —James Boyd, New York Times, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for waive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waive
  1. deny
  2. relinquish
Verb
  • The medical providers Cole and Mosley accused denied wrongdoing.
    — Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 16 May 2026
  • Weinstein’s attorneys have denied that encounter ever took place, and have argued that the trial judge improperly withheld evidence that would have bolstered his alibi.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 May 2026
Definition of deny
Verb
  • There are outs not to be relinquished on the bases.
    — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
  • Companies that violate the law could be forced to relinquish their earnings to a federal youth sports fund, from which the money would be used to reduce participation costs for families, provide scholarships and keep local sporting venues free for community use.
    — Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Definition of relinquish

Browse Nearby Words

waits on
waive
waived
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Cite this Entry

“Waive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waive. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on waive

Nglish: Translation of waive for Spanish Speakers

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