Techniques are described that provide for waveform selection for uplink (UL) and/or downlink (DL) wireless transmissions based on one or more factors associated with the wireless transmission, a transmitter that is to transmit the wireless transmission, or combinations thereof. UL and DL transmissions may use one of a number of different waveforms, such as single-carrier waveforms that use a single carrier for information transmission of a wireless channel, and multi-carrier waveforms that use multiple carriers at different frequencies to transmit some of the bits on each channel. Multi-carrier transmission waveforms or single-carrier waveforms may be selected for wireless transmissions based on a bandwidth allocated for the transmissions, a capability of a transmitter that is to transmit the transmissions, or combinations thereof.