irregardless

[ ir-i-gahrd-lis ]

adverbNonstandard.

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Origin of irregardless

1
1910–15; ir-2 (probably after irrespective) + regardless

usage note For irregardless

Some people use Irregardless to mean the same thing as regardless, but it is considered nonstandard because of the two negative elements ir- and -less. It was probably formed on the analogy of such words as irrespective, irrelevant, and irreparable. Those who use it, including on occasion educated speakers, may do so from a desire to add emphasis. Irregardless first appeared in the early 20th century and was perhaps popularized by its use in a comic radio program of the 1930s.

Words that may be confused with irregardless

  • irregardless , regardless (see usage note at the current entry)

Words Nearby irregardless

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use irregardless in a sentence