irregardless

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "irregardless" is not considered correct in standard written English.
It is often used colloquially to mean "regardless," but it is generally viewed as a nonstandard or incorrect form. Example: "Irregardless of the weather, we will go hiking this weekend."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

[Note: Pinker acknowledges that certain schools of thought regard "irregardless" as simply non-standard, but he insists it should not even be granted that.] Correct: Regardless of how you feel, it's objectively the wrong decision.

Independent

I don't think Chloe will ever forget the time she said "irregardless" in front of the ticket kiosk at the Angelika.

The New Yorker

The Third, critics asserted, sanctioned scores of words — "finalize," "irregardless," "wise up," "hepcat," "ain't" — without the ruler on the knuckles they deserved, labels such as "colloquial," "erroneous," "incorrect," or "illiterate".

The New Yorker

And it seems likely that it did indeed make it more reasonable to expect that other institutions would fail – because it created generalised panic in the funding markets which every bank – irregardless of their pedigree or resilience – was dependent upon.

The New Yorker

I rehearsed with the band altho Collins the leader hates my guts and finely I talked this asst mgr into letting me do a single irregardless of the band and he did.

The New Yorker

"Ain't" got in, as did "irregardless".

The New Yorker

Others tried to take down war horses like "awesome," "epic," "fecund," "irregardless, "literally" and "actually" -- a word Mr. Greenman defended on rhythmic grounds, declaring it "actually useful as a useless dactyl".

The New York Times

Still, the judgments made during en primeur week — or, in the case of 2011, even earlier — have a way of sticking with a vintage throughout its long life, irregardless of how it evolves.

The New York Times - Food

Others tried to take down warhorses like "awesome," "epic," "fecund," "irregardless, "literally" and "actually" — a word Mr. Greenman defended on rhythmic grounds, declaring it "actually useful as a useless dactyl".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Thus 'irregardless', if it were a word at all, would mean 'not without regard', in other words the same as 'regard'regard

Independent

Thousands of suggestions came in: "Popular objects of dissatisfaction included 'awesome' and 'epic' (pointlessly inflationary), 'phlegm' and 'fecund' (pointedly ugly), 'bling' and 'swag' (self-conscious slanguage), 'impacted' and 'efforting' (boardroom blather), 'like' and 'but' (only ever taking up space), and 'irregardless'".

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "irregardless" in formal writing or speech. Use "regardless" instead to maintain credibility and clarity.

Common error

The common mistake is thinking "irregardless" adds emphasis, but the 'ir-' prefix and '-less' suffix create a double negative. "Regardless" already means 'without regard', so adding 'ir-' is redundant and incorrect.

Linguistic Context

"Irregardless" functions as an adverbial modifier, attempting to convey 'despite' or 'without regard'. However, it is considered a nonstandard variant of "regardless". Ludwig AI highlights its incorrectness, despite its occasional appearance in various sources.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "irregardless" is found in various sources, including news outlets, it is widely considered a nonstandard and grammatically incorrect alternative to "regardless". As Ludwig AI confirms, using "regardless" ensures clarity and credibility in both formal and informal contexts. Its presence in media often highlights its incorrectness rather than endorsing its use. Alternatives like "irrespective of" and "despite" can also effectively convey the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

regardless

This is the standard and grammatically correct alternative to "irregardless".

irrespective of

This phrase provides a more formal synonym for "regardless".

despite

A concise way to indicate that something occurs even when faced with an obstacle.

notwithstanding

A formal term expressing 'in spite of'.

even though

This conjunction introduces a clause that presents a contrast to the main clause.

in spite of

Similar to 'despite', but slightly more verbose.

nevertheless

An adverb indicating that something contrasts with what has been said.

although

A conjunction introducing a subordinate clause that contrasts with the main clause.

in any case

Implies that something will happen independent of previous conditions.

at any rate

Indicates that something is true or will happen, despite any difficulties or uncertainty.

FAQs

Is "irregardless" a real word?

While "irregardless" appears in some dictionaries, it is widely considered nonstandard and incorrect. Use "regardless" instead.

Why is "irregardless" considered incorrect?

The prefix "ir-" and suffix "-less" both indicate negation. "Irregardless" thus contains a double negative, making it redundant. The correct term is "regardless".

What can I say instead of "irregardless"?

Use "regardless", "irrespective of", or "despite" to convey the intended meaning correctly.

Is it ever acceptable to use "irregardless"?

While occasionally used in informal speech, "irregardless" is best avoided in writing and formal contexts. Stick to "regardless" for clarity and correctness.