regardless

1 of 2

adverb

re·​gard·​less ri-ˈgärd-ləs How to pronounce regardless (audio)
Synonyms of regardless
: despite everything
went ahead with their plans regardless

regardless

2 of 2

adjective

: heedless, careless
regardlessly adverb
regardlessness noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is irregardless a word?

Yes. It may not be a word that you like, or a word that you would use in a term paper, but irregardless certainly is a word. It has been in use for almost 200 years, and is employed by a large number of people across a wide geographic range and with a consistent meaning. That is why we, and well-nigh every other dictionary of modern English, define this word. Remember that a definition is not an endorsement of a word’s use.

Does irregardless mean the same thing as regardless?

Yes. We define irregardless as "regardless." Many people find irregardless to be a nonsensical word, as the ir- prefix usually functions to indicate negation; however, in this case it appears to function as an intensifier. Similar ir- words, while rare, do exist in English, including irremediless ("remediless"), irresistless ("resistless"), and irrelentlessly ("relentlessly").

Is irregardless slang?

We label irregardless as “nonstandard” rather than “slang.” When a word is nonstandard it means it is “not conforming in pronunciation, grammatical construction, idiom, or word choice to the usage generally characteristic of educated native speakers of a language.” Irregardless is a long way from winning general acceptance as a standard English word. For that reason, it is best to use regardless instead.

Synonyms of regardless

Relevance

Adverb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of regardless in a Sentence

Adverb the weather looked bad, but they were resolved to go on with their picnic regardless
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Adebo could see some action against three-receiver sets regardless, depending on what Harbaugh settles with at the slot corner spot. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 McDavid and Draisaitl will earn their points regardless, but that approach could also stand to benefit those lower in the lineup looking for bounce-back seasons, like Trent Frederic. — Janson Duench, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Before it was suspended, the state's funding was set to expire regardless at the end of next month. — CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 The cost-cutting measures ended up delaying production, raising costs regardless. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for regardless

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1872, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of regardless was in 1578

Phrases Containing regardless

Browse Nearby Words

regarding
regardless
regardless of
See all Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Regardless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regardless. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

regardless

1 of 2 adjective
re·​gard·​less ri-ˈgärd-ləs How to pronounce regardless (audio)
: having or taking no regard : heedless, careless
regardless of what might happen

regardless

2 of 2 adverb
: in spite of everything
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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