Waver vs Waiver Quiz: Test Yourself
Five quick questions on waver vs waiver. Pick an answer to get instant feedback.
Flip Cards: Quick Review
Hover over a card, or tap it on mobile, to see the meaning.
To hesitate, be unsteady, or move back and forth.
“She did not waver in her decision.”
The giving up of a right or claim, or the form that records it.
“Please sign the liability waiver.”
The verb: to voluntarily give up a right or requirement.
“The college will waive the application fee.”
A thin crisp biscuit or small disc. Not related to either word.
“He ate a vanilla wafer.”
Waver vs waiver is a homophone trap: the two words are pronounced the same, so your ear gives you no clue which spelling to use. One is about hesitating, the other is about giving something up, and mixing them up can change the meaning of a sentence or look unprofessional in a contract or email.
| Term | Meaning | Part of speech / Category | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waver | To hesitate, be unsteady or undecided; to move back and forth | Verb | His voice began to waver as he spoke. |
| Waiver | The voluntary giving up of a right or claim; the document that records it | Noun | Each guest must sign a waiver before the climb. |
| Waive | To voluntarily give up a right, fee or requirement | Verb | The bank agreed to waive the late fee. |
| Wafer | A thin crisp biscuit, or a small flat disc | Noun | She served ice cream with a wafer. |
What Is the Difference Between Waver vs Waiver?
The difference is part of speech and meaning. Waver is a verb about hesitating or wobbling, while waiver is a noun about giving up a right.
If a person is undecided, a flame is flickering or a voice is shaking, the word is waver. If someone is giving up a right, or you are talking about the form that says so, the word is waiver.
The mix-up usually happens when people write “waiver” as a verb, as in “don’t waiver.” Waiver is a noun only, so that sentence needs waver.
What Does Waver Mean?
To waver means to be unsteady or undecided. It can describe opinions and loyalty, such as a voter who wavers between two candidates, or physical movement, such as a flame that wavers in the wind.
It also applies to sound. A voice can waver when someone is nervous, and a signal can waver when it is weak. In each case, the idea is a back-and-forth movement or a lack of firm footing, which links it to the image of waving.
You will often see waver with “not”: “She did not waver in her commitment.” A person who hesitates in this way is sometimes called a waverer.
What Does Waiver Mean?
A waiver is the voluntary giving up of a right, claim or privilege. It is also the name of the document that records that decision, such as a liability waiver, a fee waiver or a visa waiver.
The word is built from the verb waive, which came into English from an Old French word meaning to abandon or forsake. When you waive something, you choose not to insist on it, and the paperwork or the act itself is a waiver.
In professional sports, a player who is placed on waivers is made available for other teams to claim. The same idea applies: a right is being set aside.
Is Waiver a Verb?
No, waiver is always a noun. If you need a verb that means to give up a right or skip a fee, the word is waive.
That is why “The store will waiver the fee” is wrong, and “The store will waive the fee” is right. Likewise, “Her voice waivered” should be “Her voice wavered,” because the sentence needs the verb waver.
A quick way to check is to ask whether the word is doing something. If it is an action, you want waver or waive. If it names a form or a decision, you want waiver.
How Can You Remember Which One to Use?
Match the word to its job: waver is the wobbling verb, and waiver is the paperwork noun. The memory tricks below give you a few more quick checks.
Common Mistakes
- ✗ Don’t waiver on your decision.
✓ Don’t waver on your decision. - ✗ He signed a waver at the gym.
✓ He signed a waiver at the gym. - ✗ Her voice waivered as she spoke.
✓ Her voice wavered as she spoke. - ✗ The school will waiver the fee.
✓ The school will waive the fee. - ✗ Waiver and waive are unrelated.
✓ A waiver is the noun for the act of waiving a right.
Memory Tricks
- “I waive my rights.” Waiver has an “i,” like the “I” in that sentence, so it is the right-giving-up word.
- Waver is wobbly like waves. It has “wave” in it, and a waver moves back and forth.
- The replacement test. If you can swap in “hesitate,” use waver. If you can swap in “release form” or “giving up a right,” use waiver.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it waver or waiver?
Use waver for hesitating or being unsteady, and waiver for giving up a right or the document that does so. They sound the same but are spelled and used differently.
Is waiver a verb?
No. Waiver is a noun. The verb that means to give up a right is waive, as in waive the fee.
What does waiver mean?
A waiver is the voluntary giving up of a right, claim or privilege, or the document that records it, such as a liability waiver.
What does waver mean?
Waver means to be unsteady or undecided, or to move back and forth, as when a voice wavers or a person wavers between two choices.
Which is correct: don’t waver or don’t waiver?
Don’t waver is correct. Waiver is a noun, so it cannot take the place of the verb waver.
Conclusion
The waver vs waiver question comes down to action versus paperwork: waver is the verb for hesitating, and waiver is the noun for giving up a right. When you need a verb for giving up a right, use waive. Share this with someone who mixes these up, then retake the quiz above.