Are there words that you use (or hear used) on a regular basis, but one day you use it one too many times?

By this I mean that the eighty-ninth time you say the word it sounds perfectly normal, but then the ninetieth time you say it, it suddenly sounds strange and like it was never meant to be used in modern speech.

This, admittedly, happens to me all the time. Recently, it happened with the word regardless. So I did a little looking into this word to make sure I was using it correctly.

📝Meaning of “Regardless”

I hate giving definitions because when I see the phrase “is defined,” I immediately start to skim.

But I promise that this Merriam-Webster definition is easy. Regardless simply means “despite everything.”

Regardless, we continued our journey through Middle-Earth.

Despite everything, we continued our journey through Middle-Earth.

The party was going to happen regardless.

The party was going to happen despite everything.

In looking into etymology (word origin), the word literally came from a way to say “without regard for.”

📝Different Ways to Use

I provided examples of two basic ways to use the word above. One is to use it as an adverbial introduction to a sentence followed by a comma. The second is to use it as an adverb after your verb or prepositional phrase.

Another common way it can be used is combined with of as a preposition:

• He jumped in the puddle regardless of my warnings. (meaning “in spite of”)
• We accept all into the book club regardless of age. (meaning “without taking into account”)

Regardless can also be used as an adjective as described by the etymology definition. A person can be regardless (i.e., careless).

Something I had never even thought of is using the word regardlessly. This would also be an adverb but meaning “carelessly” instead of “despite everything.”

I imagine the uses of regardless as an adjective and an -ly adverb are more relevant to you if you write historical fiction or have a very specific tone to your writing.

📝A Word Debate

Did you know that irregardless is actually a word?!

This was news to me, but Merriam-Webster lists it as its own individual word. The dictionary validates its claim as a word because it has been in use for at least 200 years.

The definition of “irregardless”? Regardless. The two words mean the same thing. Irregardless likely started as a typo of someone trying to write irrespective.

However, The Chicago Manual of Style does not allow the use of irregardless and counts it as an error. My spell-check sure dislikes the word, too.

I have several stories about hearing irregardless as a kid and it driving me crazy. To this day, my husband likes to say it when he wants to make me bristle. I am definitely in the camp of irregardless not being a word.

What do you think? Is irregardless an acceptable word?

I hope you have fun using this word in your writing!

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