waiver

noun

waiv·​er ˈwā-vər How to pronounce waiver (audio)
Synonyms of waiver
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

Synonyms of waiver

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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.
Neither waiver is projected to have much long-term effect on US prices. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Trump has waived sanctions on imports of Russian diesel and on Friday invoked a waiver exempting Russia from sweeping economic penalties mandated by the US Congress, sparking criticism even from Republicans. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to continue churning the roster The Dolphins have made 16 waiver wire claims or practice squad poaches since training camp opened. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026 The waiver also raises questions about Washington’s commitment to Ukraine as relations between the two countries deteriorate. — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 17 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for waiver

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Browse Nearby Words

waive
waiver
waiver of premium
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Cite this Entry

“Waiver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waiver. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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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

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