Is *Irregardless a Word? | Definition & Spelling
Regardless is an adverb meaning “despite everything.” It’s often used as a transition word at the start of a sentence to change the topic.
“Irregardless” is sometimes used instead of regardless. However, most dictionaries don’t consider “irregardless” a real word, and it should be avoided in formal or academic writing.
- I might lose, but I’m going to try irregardless.
- I might lose, but I’m going to try regardless.
- Irregardless, you should come to the party.
- Regardless, you should come to the party.
Regardless of
Regardless can also be used as part of the prepositional phrase regardless of meaning “heedless of” or “careless of.” “Irregardless of” is never correct.
I go running every day, regardless of the weather.
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- What does “irregardless” mean?
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“Irregardless” is often mistakenly used to mean regardless. However, “irregardless” is not considered a real word by most dictionaries, and it should be avoided in formal or academic writing.
“Irregardless” is seen as incorrect because it adds the prefix “ir-,” which usually expresses negation, but actually means the same thing as regardless, not the opposite. While you may hear people say “irregardless,” it’s almost never encountered in published writing.
- What is a synonym for “regardless”?
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Some synonyms and near synonyms of regardless include:
- Anyway
- In any case
- Nevertheless
- Nonetheless
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Ryan, E. (2023, March 14). Is *Irregardless a Word? | Definition & Spelling. Scribbr. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/common-mistakes/irregardless/
