regardless

American  

[ri-gahrd-lis] / rɪˈgɑrd lɪs /

adjective

1. having or showing no regard; heedless; unmindful (often followed byof ).

   Synonyms:

   careless, neglectful, negligent, inattentive

   Antonyms:

   mindful, attentive

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adverb

1. without concern as to advice, warning, hardship, etc.; anyway.

   I must make the decision regardless.

idioms

1. regardless of, in spite of; without regard for.

   They'll do it regardless of the cost.

regardless British  

/ rɪˈɡɑːdlɪs /

adjective

1. (usually foll by of) taking no regard or heed; heedless

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adverb

1. in spite of everything; disregarding drawbacks

   to carry on regardless

Other Word Forms

• regardlessness
  noun
• regardlessly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of regardless

First recorded in 1585–95; regard + -less

Compare meaning

How does regardless compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• irregardless vs. regardless

Explanation

If something is done without consideration, it's done regardless, usually followed by the word "of." Today you can sit wherever you'd like on a bus, regardless of your race, but this wasn't always the case. The word regardless can also be used as an adverb meaning despite everything. If your speaker had to cancel, you should carry on with the meeting regardless. People sometimes use the word irregardless when they mean regardless. Irregardless is an error resulting from a blend of irrespective and regardless. You may hear people say it, but grammarians consider it to be a mistake.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

regardless

Your payment date depends on your birth date, so your first payment will generally arrive the month after your first month of entitlement, regardless of whether your birthday is on, say, Oct.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

West Virginia adopted the nation’s first program to make those funds universally available in 2021 and today, 18 states are inviting any student to partake, regardless of family income or existing private school enrollment.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

But regardless, he said, Democrats would have to find a way to "sew these two very large groups back together" if they wanted to reverse recent election losses.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

“Every New Yorker deserves to be safe, regardless of their religion or race.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

I was five or six at the time, I could barely read, but regardless, my dad gave me this impromptu geography lesson in preparation for an upcoming road trip or something.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Related Words

• anyway
• nevertheless