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.
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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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Frequently asked questions
- 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, August 23). Is *Irregardless a Word? | Definition & Spelling. Scribbr. Retrieved September 25, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/common-mistakes/irregardless/
