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. While ‘irregardless’ may be used in informal contexts, it is considered nonstandard and should be avoided in formal or academic writing.
Standard: I might lose, but I’m going to try regardless.
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
- Is it ‘irregardless’ or ‘regardless’?
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‘Irregardless’ is often used to mean regardless. However, ‘irregardless’ is considered a nonstandard word, and it should be avoided in formal or academic writing.
‘Irregardless’ is often 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, October 16). Is *Irregardless a Word? | Definition & Spelling. Scribbr. Retrieved 22 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/common-errors/irregardless-vs-regardless/
