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.
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to look or gaze.
noun
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reference; relation.
to err with regard to facts.
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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.
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kindly feeling; liking.
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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
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has been regardingperfect progressive
Past
-
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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The Town with No Mirrors
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Vocabulary from Readings 3, Unit 1
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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:
It didn’t let the Commerce Department change the rules with regard to the census.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
Or they may regard a claim as too speculative to endorse or reject decisively.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
More than a decade on, it is clear the impact he left on the club is still held in high regard by Inter supporters and journalists.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
The actors speak quietly, as if fearful of being overheard, whether or not there is anyone around to hear, and often regard one another with pained or stunned expressions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
I knew pretty well the direction and distance of the Count’s window, and made for it as well as I could, having regard to the opportunities available.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
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"I do have a bit of experience and I do think that I can help him as regards how to move on the court at times," he continued.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
But the agency stressed that its removal of restrictions on Syria "does not change Treasury's posture with regards to countering global terrorism and our commitment to hold bad actors in Syria accountable."
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
The northern route is "a temporary and minuscule solution with regards to the overall needs", De Ricqles said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
He said on Wednesday: "I was informed yesterday that the Police Federation are considering legal action, I am in discussions with the Police Federation with regards to this matter".
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Mariela is unlike her peers in several regards.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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The village of Miquelon has started moving inland to escape the growing threat of sea-level rise, in what is widely regarded as France's first climate-driven community relocation.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
The taxidermy bear, known as Boris, is a popular feature at the Museum of Chelmsford and is regarded as its unofficial mascot.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
O’Connell, a former quarterback himself, is a highly regarded offensive mind, while Justin Jefferson is one of the game’s top receivers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
The following evening, one of Parton's nieces, Jada Star, performed as part of a tribute concert at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House, regarded as the home of country music.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
A few regarded the strange, muttering man with suspicion, or pity.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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For now, the only concrete measure adopted by both Anthropic and OpenAI is the inclusion of independent observers who will internally verify the companies' work regarding AI safety.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
The LFB said: "There are a range of factors that are being investigated regarding the cause of the fire by the Brigade's Fire Investigation Team."
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
When is “enough is enough” regarding “expanding” the game?
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
"For the living descendants, these findings provide previously unavailable details regarding the circumstances and locations of their relatives' deaths, as well as the identities of some of the shipmates who died with them," Stenton said.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026
“Now that you are a Son of the Six, there are confidential matters regarding the city’s...security that you should be briefed on.”
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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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.