exemption
This word carries a formal, legalistic tone, often associated with bureaucracy, taxes, or institutional rules. It implies a specific permission or a legal loophole that allows an individual to bypass a standard requirement without facing penalty.
While a waiver might be a voluntary relinquishing of a right, an exemption is typically a recognized status that protects someone from a burden. It suggests a targeted exception based on a specific qualification or hardship rather than a general change in the law.
Countable when referring to a specific legal allowance (a tax exemption). Uncountable when referring to the general state of being exempt (the exemption of certain goods from duty).
Meanings
The state of being free from an obligation or requirement imposed on others.
He was granted a medical exemption from the vaccination.