irrespective
Americanadjective
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
- irrespectively adverb
Etymology
Origin of irrespective
First recorded in 1630–40; ir- 2 + respective
Explanation
The adverb irrespective means regardless or in spite, and it is almost always followed by the word "of." Irrespective of your desire to stay inside on a bitterly cold day, the dog still needs to be walked. Irrespective is a combination of the Latin roots ir, meaning not, and respectivus, meaning having regard for. The word irrespective is sometimes confused with its synonym regardless, giving rise in the early 20th century to the nonstandard word irregardless, which is considered an error by most grammarians, irrespective of how many people use irregardless in their everyday speech.
Vocabulary lists containing irrespective
Vocabulary from the Magna Carta on its 800th Anniversary
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Fences
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This Side of Wild
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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.
First, he pointed to deleveraging that often takes place in an asset in which investors have ample profits, irrespective of its fundamental drivers.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026
But she hopes that casting the right person for the role, irrespective of their background, will become more normalised.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
She thinks the best way to climb the rankings is by trusting her natural instincts - irrespective of who is in the coaching box.
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
And software stocks, irrespective of their fundamental merits, are caught in a historic downdraft that might take months or longer to subside.
From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026
I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
