A waiver is a document recording the waiving of a right or claim. But you cannot waiver over having to waver — that waiver is a noun after all. The word waive with an i means to voluntarily give up a right that you’re permitted to have, or to say you won’t be using something that’s usually required. You might waive your right to an attorney, or your insurance company might waive an extra fee because you have a clean record.
Commonly Confused
Although waiver and waver sound alike and share similar spellings, they have entirely different meanings and uses. While waiver and waver may look similar and have identical sounds, they are actually homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings, spellings, and/or uses. They may be pronounced in the same manner and their spellings are only set apart by a single letter “i”, they are actually very different in terms of meaning and use. Today, we will help you determine and understand the differences between these two terms so you can use them properly in your writing.
As a bonus confusable, if we put the i in the wrong place, we get wavier, an adjective describing something that’s more wavy or, I suppose, someone who wavers more than others. Please feel free to contact me if you have any educational inquiries. Waver is used as a verb in English language where it means to move in a quivering way; or flicker. I needed a waiver from the zoning board for the house because the lot was so small, but they let me build because it was next to the park.
When a player on a particular roster is made available for other teams to claim, he is on waivers. These four words may not be part of your everyday writing, but if you happen to come across them, you’ll want to get them right. X Many people are waivering between different universities and do not know which one to choose. At the restaurant, I wavered between ordering the fish or the chicken. You must sign this waiver, giving up your right to sue the company, in order to go on the trip.
It also means an act or instance of waiving a right or claim. Waver is used as a noun which means an act or instance of relinquishing a right or claim. She never wavered from her intention not to adopt his idea. Waver also means to be undecided between two opinions or courses of action.
And to make matters more confusing, “wave” has several meanings in different situations. It’s thus no surprise that people get these terms confused! But to make sure you avoid mix ups in your writing, check out our advice below. waivered or wavered For this month’s vs. post, we thought we would offer up a two-for-one.
- They may be pronounced in the same manner and their spellings are only set apart by a single letter “i”, they are actually very different in terms of meaning and use.
- Waver is used in English language as a noun which means an act or instance of waiving a right or claim.
- Waver without the i is a verb that means to move back and forth unsteadily, to show indecision, or to falter or become unsteady.
- By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp of how to distinguish between these commonly confused words.
- “But no sooner was the 40-year-old activist out of U.S. hands than he began to waver” (Kurtz).
Just because spell-check doesn’t flag “waiver” doesn’t mean that it’s the correct word for your sentence. When you move your hand back and forth or up and down to say hello or goodbye, you are waving. Something that seems to undulate or flow is considered wavy, while ripples of moving water are called waves. Try to determine whether waver or waiver fits best in each sentence. A document recording the waiving of a right or claim is also waiver. On the other hand, Waver is a verb which means to move unsteadily back and forth, hesitating to do a thing, or to tremble in sound.
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“Because Medicaid is not required to cover HCBS, because a waiver is not an entitlement, there are long waits for waivers” (Picciuto). Copyright 2019–2025 Words by Wes, LLCAll rights reserved.Any use of this content to train language or image models is expressly prohibited. Can a document be waivier and cause us to relinquish more rights than other documents do?
Writing Tip 157: “Waiver” vs. “Waver”
The words “waiver” and “waver” are often confused due to their similar spelling and pronunciation, but they have very different meanings and uses. These two terms belong to entirely different grammatical categories and are used in distinct contexts. Understanding the difference between waiver and waver is essential for clear and precise communication, whether you’re drafting a legal document, writing an email, or just having a conversation.
Grammatical Forms of “Waver”:
Wave, waive, waver and waiver all sound similar, and it’ll help to keep you on your toes by knowing the differences and when to use them. A waiver is a noun referring to the act of giving up our rights or claim to something or the document we sign when we waive those rights. We might have to sign a waiver before jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. The term is also used when a regulation or fee is dropped as a special case; for example, I might waive my deposit requirement before starting work on a project for a frequent client. Wavered vs waivered may be pronounced in the same way and their spellings are only set apart by a single letter “i”, however, they are actually very different in terms of meaning and use.
We’ll make the call, but first let’s look at the drafting and play of the words in the English language to make the right one. If you’re feeling weak in the knees, you’re “wavering” not “waivering”—unless, of course, at that moment you are also signing away some prior held privilege. In this case, maybe you’re wavering while you’re waivering?
- In this case, maybe you’re wavering while you’re waivering?
- We can waver on signing a waiver, but once we’ve signed it, we’ve given up our right to waver.
- We might have to sign a waiver before jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.
- During the 19th century, both wave and waive gained the sense of “to disregard” or “to dismiss or put out of mind” (usually followed by adverbs like off and aside), and homophony was certainly at play.
✓ Many people are wavering between different universities and do not know which one to choose. If you’re being indecisive, there’s no need to bring legal documents into it. Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. The modern usage of waiver is often short for waiver clause. Election time brings out the wavers of flags and haranguers of mobs. In professional sports, waiver means something different.
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You might also use waver to describe trembling in sound. The word waiver is used when referring to the act of voluntarily giving up a right or claim. It is frequently encountered in legal and contractual language, where one party agrees to relinquish a certain right, such as the right to sue or the right to a refund.
In medieval times, waive referred to the act of declining someone the protection of feudal law. Waiver is a noun with several meanings, including (1) intentional relinquishment of a right or privilege, (2) a dispensation, and (3) a deferment. Waver is a verb meaning (1) to move unsteadily back and forth, (2) to vacillate, or (3) to tremble in sound. After discussing the distinctions between the words waiver and waver, you should be able to use them more effectively in your sentences. Remember that waiver refers to relinquishing a right over something while waver is to falter in belief or to be unsteady in making a choice. The verb rolled on to the shores of the English language with senses referring to moving loosely to and fro (e.g., “a flag waving in the breeze” or “a magician waving a wand”).
