Waiveto give up a right or demand voluntarily usually means to decide not to use, demand, or keep something that you could normally insistto firmly demand or require something on. It can also mean to lose a right or claim because of an error, offense, or wrongdoingan illegal, immoral, or improper act.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /weɪv/
Easy pronunciation: WAVE (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable, stressed on the only syllable.
Verb meaning to give up or stop insisting on a right, fee, or requirement.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Waive Meaning
to give up a right, rule, fee, or requirement intentionally
Part of speech: verb
Definition: do without or stop insisting on something
Example: The bank agreed to waive the late fee.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- dispense with — Works when something is not required or is being skipped.
- forego — A valid substitute in some contexts, though less common than 'forgo'.
- forgo — A strong everyday substitute for choosing not to have or use something.
- relinquish — Fits when giving up a right, claim, or control.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Waive
Meaning 2
to forfeit a right or possession as a result of wrongdoing or a mistake
Part of speech: verb
Definition: lose something, or lose the right to something, because of an error, offense, or crime
Example: He could waive his right to appeal if he signs the agreement.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- forego — Possible in this legal or formal sense, though less direct than 'forfeit'.
- forfeit — The clearest synonym when something is lost because of a violation or offense.
- forgo — Can overlap in formal usage, but is less exact than 'forfeit' in this sense.
- give up — Works in a broad sense, but is less precise and more general.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Waive Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- forgo
- dispense with
- relinquish
lose a right or claim because of wrongdoing or an error
- forfeit
- give up
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse waive with wave, the hand gesture or movement word.
- Do not use waive when you mean simply 'lose' in general; it usually involves giving up or losing a right, fee, or claim.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does waive mean in simple English?
It means to decide not to require or use something, especially a right, rule, or fee.
What is the difference between waive and forfeit?
Waive means you intentionally give up a right or requirement. Forfeit means you lose something because of a mistake, rule break, or offense.
What are the best synonyms for waive?
For the most common meaning, the best synonyms are forgo, dispense with, and sometimes relinquish. For the loss/penalty sense, forfeit is the best match.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.