regard
Americanverb (used with object)
-
regards,
present (3rd person singular)
-
regarded,
past participle, past
-
regarding
present participle
-
to look upon or think of with a particular feeling.
to regard a person with favor.
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to have or show respect or concern for.
-
to think highly of; esteem.
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to take into account; consider.
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to look at; observe.
She regarded him with amusement.
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to relate to; concern.
The news does not regard the explosion.
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to see, look at, or conceive of in a particular way; judge (usually followed byas ).
I regard every assignment as a challenge. They regarded his behavior as childish.
verb (used without object)
-
regards,
present (3rd person singular)
-
regarded,
past participle, past
-
regarding
present participle
-
to pay attention.
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to look or gaze.
noun
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reference; relation.
to err with regard to facts.
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an aspect, point, or particular.
quite satisfactory in this regard.
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thought; attention; concern.
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look; gaze.
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respect, esteem, or deference.
a high regard for scholarship.
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kindly feeling; liking.
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regards, sentiments of esteem or affection.
Give them my regards.
idioms
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as regards. as.
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with / in regard to, referring to; concerning: Also within regards to
With regard to the new contract, we have some questions.
verb
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to look closely or attentively at (something or someone); observe steadily
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(tr) to hold (a person or thing) in respect, admiration, or affection
we regard your work very highly
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(tr) to look upon or consider in a specified way
she regarded her brother as her responsibility
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(tr) to relate to; concern; have a bearing on
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to take notice of or pay attention to (something); heed
he has never regarded the conventions
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(preposition) in respect of; concerning
noun
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a gaze; look
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attention; heed
he spends without regard to his bank balance
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esteem, affection, or respect
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reference, relation, or connection (esp in the phrases with regard to or in regard to )
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(plural) good wishes or greetings (esp in the phrase with kind regards , used at the close of a letter)
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on this point
Usage
Although sometimes considered poor substitutes for about or concerning, the phrases as regards, in regard to, and with regard to are standard and occur in all varieties of spoken and written English, especially in business writing: As regards your letter of January 19. … Note that although in regards to and with regards to are generally considered poor usage, these less formal variants have become increasingly common.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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regardsimple
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regardssimple
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have regardedperfect
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has regardedperfect
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am regardingprogressive
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are regardingprogressive
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is regardingprogressive
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have been regardingperfect progressive
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has been regardingperfect progressive
Past
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regardedsimple
-
had regardedperfect
-
was regardingprogressive
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were regardingprogressive
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had been regardingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of regard
First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the verb) late Middle English, from Middle French regarder “to look at” ( cf. reward ); equivalent to re- + guard ; noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
When you give someone a good, long look, you regard them. It can also mean "to believe," as in "I regard her as my best friend." Regard often means respect and admiration, as in "I have the greatest regard for my grandmother." Sometimes it's a greeting: you can send someone your regards, which means to tell them you said hello and wish them well. There's a famous song called, "Give My Regards to Broadway." On the other hand, you can use it as a sign-off on a letter. Instead of "Sincerely" or "Yours Truly," you can close with "Regards."
Vocabulary lists containing regard
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The Town with No Mirrors
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Vocabulary from Readings 3, Unit 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Low thinks the book is unlikely to change many opinions, as "people have settled into their camps about how they regard Charles, how they look back on the Diana years".
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
In this regard, the company’s small IPO actually became one of the key factors in its subsequent success.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
It didn’t let the Commerce Department change the rules with regard to the census.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
Or they may regard a claim as too speculative to endorse or reject decisively.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
The negative aspect is that it means that all intervals except for octaves are slightly out of tune with regard to the actual harmonic series.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
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He has denied any wrongdoing with regards to his dealings with Epstein.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
This should also be the case, she said, in regards to the child's right to have a relationship with that parent.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
But the agency stressed that its removal of restrictions on Syria "does not change Treasury's posture with regards to countering global terrorism and our commitment to hold bad actors in Syria accountable."
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
The northern route is "a temporary and minuscule solution with regards to the overall needs", De Ricqles said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
First, as regards domestic animals, we’ve already seen that those of sub-Saharan Africa came from Eurasia, with the possible exception of a few from North Africa.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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A few months after Maine Road, the band played to 250,000 fans on the grounds of Knebworth House in Hertfordshire over two nights in August 1996 - shows that are regarded as Britpop's crowning moment.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Cricket, long regarded as the game of the English upper classes, is experiencing a revival north of the border—without some of its famously snooty traditions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The village of Miquelon has started moving inland to escape the growing threat of sea-level rise, in what is widely regarded as France's first climate-driven community relocation.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
For decades, the tennis courts at St Columb's Park were regarded as the home of tennis in the city - and the club would like to see the site restored to its former glory.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Admired as a pathbreaker, Elizebeth is now regarded as a role model—a woman who excelled in a technical field through her courage, smarts, and grit.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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In a separate screed regarding the need to regulate A.I.,
From Slate ● Sep. 19, 2026
SYDNEY—Reserve Bank of Australia Gov. Michele Bullock warned Friday that the central bank’s concerns regarding stubborn inflation are materializing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
As with so many land mines in our broken healthcare system, having a reliable and trustworthy practitioner to consult and query regarding the reality of compounded medications is the best solution.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
"At this stage, the family is awaiting further information from the relevant authorities regarding the circumstances surrounding Owen's death," said family spokesperson Eugene Mthethwa.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
There is a plethora of evidence regarding the critical role that the arts play in children’s lives and learning.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.