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.
-
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.
-
to look or gaze.
noun
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reference; relation.
to err with regard to facts.
-
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.
-
kindly feeling; liking.
-
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
-
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 )
-
(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
-
has been regardingperfect progressive
Past
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regardedsimple
-
had regardedperfect
-
was regardingprogressive
-
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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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:
With regard to correlation increasing, Hunter is referring to the tendency of investors, when the market really sells off, to sell everything, so all stocks and sectors move in sync.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
Now, this daughter of immigrants is responsible for reshaping the very system that brought them here decades ago – and doing so in a way that both her party and the country regard as fair.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Providers are subject to what the state calls “equal-opportunity requirements,” including enrollment without regard to religious affiliation, gender identity or sexual orientation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
The movement's complaints range from the high cost of living to poorly maintained schools, government spending cuts and, more broadly, what it sees as politicians making decisions with apparently little regard for the younger generation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
“But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. If I can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton indeed not to discover it too.”
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
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When you ask advisers at City Hall if the mayor regards Oxford Street as his biggest legacy they don't deny it.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
She regards the Palm Springs exhibition not as a summation but as another point in an expanding body of work.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
While that dry spell will draw empty stares from fans in Seattle, Pittsburgh or San Diego, it’s a fiasco for a franchise that’s won 27 of them and regards October silverware as its birthright.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
"I hope people ask their friends, their family members, ask themselves about their own relationship to social media platforms," he said, including in regards to information sources and mental health implications.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
The girls’ names are in most regards diverse, though with a fair share of literary and otherwise artful touches.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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Homo erectus is widely regarded as the first hominin to leave Africa; the evidence suggests this species had moved into Eurasia nearly two million years ago.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
The franchise is built around Herbert, mind you, and Harbaugh has predicted he’ll one day be regarded as the best quarterback in NFL history.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
South Korea's notoriously gruelling college entry exam, known as the "Suneung", is essential for admission to top universities and widely regarded as a gateway to economic security and even a good marriage.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
The Brewers acquired Christian Yelich in 2018 by trading away four highly regarded prospects.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
The old woman regarded her for several seconds, as though evaluating her, before nodding in acquiescence.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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He ordered all parties by Nov. 6 to submit witness lists, including experts, regarding the reliability of the list of voters and the methodology behind it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
"The nervousness in the financial markets regarding the further expansion of AI infrastructure is just one example of this."
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
“However, a significant proportion of operational decisions regarding military aid and the implementation of sanctions will remain within the remit of the executive branch,” he wrote on Facebook.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
The BBC asked police if officers asked Wright to confess to the murders of the five women from Ipswich in light of his guilty plea regarding Victoria.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
My mother’s tender caresses and my father’s smile of benevolent pleasure while regarding me are my first recollections.
From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.