People get really weird about the word irregardless. They'll stare at you over the rim of a coffee mug, eyes twitching, waiting for you to "correct" yourself. It’s the ultimate linguistic trap. For decades, self-appointed grammar police have used it as a litmus test for intelligence. If you say it, you’re supposedly "uneducated." If you don't, you're part of the elite. But honestly? The joke is kind of on the critics.
Because irregardless is a real word.
It’s in the dictionary. It has been for a long time. Merriam-Webster, Oxford, American Heritage—they all have entries for it. While it might make your high school English teacher’s skin crawl, the story of how this word became the most hated (and used) term in the English language is actually a fascinating look at how we talk.
The Messy History of Irregardless
Language isn't a static monument. It's more like a messy, evolving garden. Irregardless probably started popping up in the mid-1800s. Specifically, the first recorded instances trace back to 1795, but it really gained steam in the early 20th century. Most linguists, like those at the Merriam-Webster editorial offices, believe it’s a "portmanteau." That's a fancy way of saying someone smashed two words together like a linguistic car crash.
Basically, someone took "irrespective" and "regardless" and fused them.
You get the ir- prefix from one and the -less suffix from the other. Technically, this creates a double negative. If "ir-" means "not" and "regardless" means "without regard," then irregardless should mean "not without regard." In other words, it should mean you do care. But that’s not how anyone uses it. We use it to mean "anyway" or "despite everything."
Does the double negative make it illogical? Sure. But English is a disaster of logic. Think about the word "inflammable." It means the exact same thing as "flammable." Or the phrase "I could care less," which people use when they actually mean they couldn't care less. We’ve been breaking the rules of math in our sentences for centuries.
Is It Actually a "Real" Word?
This is where the elitism kicks in. People love to say, "Irregardless isn't a word!"
But what defines a word? If people say it, and other people understand exactly what it means, it’s a word. That’s the "descriptivist" view of linguistics. Dictionaries don't grant permission for words to exist; they just record that they do exist.
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Back in 1934, the Webster’s Second New International Dictionary labeled it as "erroneous or humorous." They were basically negging the word. By the time the third edition came out, the heat stayed on. Even today, the Oxford English Dictionary notes it as nonstandard. But nonstandard doesn't mean "fake." It just means it's informal. It’s like wearing flip-flops to a wedding. You’re still wearing shoes, but some people are going to judge you for it.
Kory Stamper, a former lexicographer at Merriam-Webster and author of Word by Word, has spent a lot of time defending the inclusion of words like this. She points out that the job of a dictionary is to track the language as it is spoken by real humans, not to protect some "pure" version of English that never actually existed. If thousands of people use irregardless to convey a specific meaning, and have done so for over 200 years, it has earned its spot on the page.
The Social Stigma
Let's be real: using irregardless is a social risk.
In a job interview? Don't do it. Writing a legal brief? Avoid it like the plague. There is a massive "prestige" gap here. We associate "standard" English with power and education. Because irregardless is seen as a blunder, using it can make you look like you aren't "in the club."
It’s a bit of a classist hang-up. Dialects and regional variations often get labeled as "wrong" simply because they aren't the dialect of the people in charge. Irregardless has become a shibboleth—a way to tell who "belongs" in academic or professional circles.
When Should You Use It?
Honestly? Hardly ever if you're writing.
If you want to be taken seriously in a professional setting, stick to "regardless." It’s cleaner. It’s shorter. It doesn't distract the reader. When you use irregardless, the reader stops thinking about your argument and starts thinking about your vocabulary. You’ve lost the lead.
However, in casual conversation? Among friends? Who cares. If it slips out, you aren't "wrong." You're just using a word that has been part of the American English vernacular since before your great-grandparents were born.
The interesting thing is that irregardless often acts as an intensifier. When someone says it, they are usually trying to shut down a conversation. It’s a verbal gavel. "Irregardless, we’re going to the beach!" It sounds more emphatic than a simple "regardless." It has more syllables. It takes up more space in the air.
Why It Refuses to Die
Language is efficient. Usually, words that don't serve a purpose die off. So why is this one still here?
Probably because of how it feels in the mouth. That "ir-" prefix gives it a bit of punch. It feels more "official" to some ears, even though it's the opposite. It’s a "hypercorrection." People think they are being more precise by adding more pieces to the word.
There’s also the fact that English speakers love rhythm. Irregardless has a bouncy, anapestic feel to it. Regardless is a bit flat. We like words that have a bit of a gallop.
The "Dictionary Drama" of 2020
You might remember a few years ago when the internet collectively lost its mind. Merriam-Webster posted a video or a tweet (they do this often to stir the pot) reminding everyone that irregardless is in their dictionary.
The backlash was intense. People were genuinely angry. It’s one of the few things that can make a mild-mannered librarian want to throw a punch. This "dictionary rage" stems from a desire for stability. Life is chaotic; we want the rules of our language to be firm. When the dictionary "allows" a word like irregardless, it feels like the walls are closing in.
But again, the dictionary isn't a rulebook. It's a map. If a road exists and people are driving on it, the mapmaker has to put it on the map. They aren't saying it's a good road. They aren't saying you won't get a flat tire. They’re just saying, "Hey, if you end up here, this is where you are."
Practical Advice for Navigating the "Irregardless" Minefield
So, what do you actually do with this information?
First, stop correcting people. Unless you’re their editor or their parent, it’s mostly just a way to be a jerk. Everyone knows what they mean. Communication was successful. Move on.
Second, if you're the one who says it—don't sweat it. You're in the company of millions. But maybe keep "regardless" in your back pocket for when you need to sound like the most polished version of yourself.
Here is how to handle the word in the wild:
- In Formal Writing: Never use it. Use "regardless" or "irrespective." It keeps the focus on your ideas rather than your word choice.
- In Casual Speech: Use it if you want. It’s a valid, albeit nonstandard, part of English.
- When Challenged: You can smugly (or kindly) point out that it has been in the Merriam-Webster dictionary since 1934. That usually shuts down the argument pretty fast.
- The "Why" Factor: Remember that using it is often seen as a sign of trying too hard to sound "fancy," which is the main reason it gets mocked.
English is alive. It's vibrating. It's changing every time we send a text or shout across a room. Irregardless is just one small, weird, slightly redundant part of that vibration. It’s not a sign of the apocalypse. It’s just a sign that humans like to mash things together to see what sticks.
Actionable Steps for Word Choice
If you want to sharpen your communication without being a snob, try these pivots:
- Audit your "filler" words. We often use irregardless as a transition when we don't know how to move to the next point. Try just starting the next sentence.
- Understand the "why." If you find yourself reaching for the word, ask if you're trying to be emphatic. If so, try "That said," or "Even so."
- Read wide. The more you see how professional writers handle transitions, the less you'll rely on clunky, nonstandard terms.
- Embrace the evolution. Use this knowledge to be more empathetic toward other "nonstandard" English users. Language is a tool, not a cage.
The next time you hear someone drop the "i-word," you don't have to cringe. You can just recognize it for what it is: a 200-year-old linguistic survivor that refuses to be bullied out of existence. It’s stubborn. It’s redundant. It’s weirdly American. And yes, it’s definitely a word.
Next Steps for Clarity
Check your recent emails or documents for "hypercorrections." Look for places where you might be adding prefixes or suffixes to make a word sound "bigger" (like using utilize when use works better). Simplify your transitions to ensure your message remains the priority, not the mechanics of the sentence.