irregardless

adverb

ir·​re·​gard·​less ˌir-i-ˈgärd-ləs 

nonstandard

: regardless

I told them that irregardless of what you read in books, they's some members of the theatrical profession that occasionally visits the place where they sleep.

—Ring Lardner

One who creates a nuisance through an inherently dangerous activity … is absolutely liable for resulting damages, irregardless of fault …

—N.Y v. Schenectady Chemicals, Inc., 117 Misc.2d 960 (1983)

Is irregardless a word?: Usage Guide

Irregardless dates to the late 18th century, but didn't become popular until the early 20th. Synonymous with regardless, the word is widely disliked. Use regardless instead if you wish to avoid criticism.

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.

Word History

Etymology

probably blend of irrespective and regardless

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for irregardless

• godless