Waiver Waiver Renuncia Exención וַעֲדָה अस्वीकरण A waiver is a voluntary relinquishment or surrender of some known right, claim, or privilege, often documented in a formal, written statement. A waiver can also be a legal defense that can be used in civil litigation where a party intentionally relinquishes a known right or privilege. A waver is usually prospective (forward-looking), where a Release is usually retrospective (backward-looking).