irrespective
Americanadjective
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
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
Fences
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Vocabulary from the Magna Carta on its 800th Anniversary
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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.
"It's almost saying that this can work irrespective of the phone number and just give you a single identity," he says.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
In the end, there’s a cost—not just to the fan but to the culture at large: “The shared experience of being fans, the feeling of solidarity irrespective and class and background, is being eroded.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
It also recommended "all on-train staff, irrespective of role, have the skills and knowledge required to assist in the event of an emergency".
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
"Either its people unite around a sovereign state that monopolises weapons, upholds the law and protects citizens irrespective of their affiliation or position, or it remains hostage to the logic of militias," he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 13, 2026
But they did it, irrespective of me, and as we rode, the seeds for this book were planted.
From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen
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.
