Sound-alike words
Waive vs. Wave
Waive means to give up a right or choose not to require something, such as a fee or rule. Wave means to move your hand back and forth, or a moving ridge of water. The bank waived the fee; I waved goodbye.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| waive | verb | to give up a right or claim, or to choose not to require a rule, fee or payment |
| wave | verb | to move your hand or an object back and forth, often as a signal or greeting |
| noun | a moving ridge of water on the sea, or a sudden rise in a feeling or activity |
Waive
verb: to give up a right or claim, or to choose not to require a rule, fee or payment
- The bank agreed to waive the late fee this time.
- The school waived the entry exam for students who had taken the course.
Wave
verb: to move your hand or an object back and forth, often as a signal or greeting
- The kids waved from the back of the bus.
- She was waving a map to get our attention.
noun: a moving ridge of water on the sea, or a sudden rise in a feeling or activity
- A big wave knocked the boogie board out of my hands.
- A wave of relief washed over Jada when she saw her score.
How to remember the difference
Waive has an I, as in I give up my right. Wave is what your hand and the ocean do, with no I needed.
Good to know
A document in which you give up a right is a waiver, as in sign a waiver before the climbing class. Waver, with no I, means to hesitate or be unsteady.
Spot the mistake
The city will
wavewaive the parking fee during the festival.Correct: The city will waive the parking fee during the festival.
We
waivedwaved to our friends from the dock as the ferry left.Correct: We waved to our friends from the dock as the ferry left.
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. The landlord agreed to the pet deposit for our old cat.
Answer: waive. Not requiring a fee means giving it up, so the verb is waive.
2. Fans flags in the stands whenever the team scores.
Answer: wave. Moving flags back and forth is to wave them.