noun

waiver

/ˈweɪvər/ · say it: WAY·vur

voluntarily giving up a legal right or claim

In Law & Justice

In more detail

1. (noun) an official decision not to enforce a rule or right that someone is usually entitled to

2. (noun) a legal document in which someone agrees not to claim a right or to accept a risk

Examples

1. The coach requested a waiver so the injured player could join the team mid-season.
2. Before the surgery, the patient signed a waiver acknowledging the potential risks.

How to use waiver

Waiver is used in legal and official contexts to describe the formal relinquishment of a right, claim, or requirement. It can refer either to the official decision itself or to the written document embodying that decision. The term is common in contracts, risk management, and regulatory exemptions.

Common phrases

sign a waiver
grant a waiver
obtain a waiver
waiver of liability
waiver of rights

Synonyms

relinquishment · renunciation · exemption · release

Opposites

enforcement · assertion

Word family

waive (verb) · waived (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse waiver with waver (meaning to hesitate or fluctuate), which is a completely different word with a different spelling and meaning.

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