waive and wave are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. waive means “do without or cease to hold or adhere to”. wave means “one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)”. wave is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈweɪv/
1.v.do without or cease to hold or adhere to
“We are dispensing with formalities”
2.v.lose (s.th.) or lose the right to (s.th.) by some error, offense, or crime
“you've forfeited your right to name your successor”
/ˈweɪv/
| waive | wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈweɪv/ | /ˈweɪv/ |
| Said | wayv | wayv |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 5 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 2 | 14 |
| How common | Familiar | Common |
| Synonyms | relinquish, forgo, forego | moving ridge |
Full entry for waive · Full entry for wave · More comparisons
1.n.one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
2.n.a movement like that of a sudden occurrence or increase in a specified phenomenon
“a wave of settlers”
3.n.(physics) a movement up and down or back and forth