waive

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 Woods released the statement after entering a plea of not guilty, waiving his right to an arraignment and demanding a trial with a jury Tuesday. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026 Garner waived his constitutional rights when he was brought in for an interview by a detective. Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 Her decision to waive her right to anonymity and face her attackers in open court at the 2024 trial made her one of the 21st century’s most unlikely feminist icons and earned her worldwide respect. Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Apr. 2026 This was in reference to Tuesday’s piece of the Heat not only being a week or less away from waiving Terry Rozier, but also replacing him on the standard roster, most likely with one of the three current two-way players. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for waive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waive
Verb
  • For certain great artists, Meis believes, the creative act is a safe harbor where life’s pressures, exigencies, and calamities aren’t so much denied or resolved as reimagined as pictorial dramas.
    Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Judge Antonio Arzola denied the request for a standard bond, citing probable cause, and issued an elevated $5,000 bond.
    Nikiya Carrero, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • If the pair are Shea’s biological parents, Score and Mills would like to learn more about them — but not necessarily relinquish custody of Shea, Hatfield said.
    Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
  • In their eyes, the global economy is to blame for their unsatisfactory job prospects, feminism is to blame for their failures with women, minority rights are forcing them to relinquish their privilege as straight men, and so on.
    Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Waive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waive. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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