regardless

1. 1
   adverb

   Without paying attention to warnings or to signs that something bad may result.

   Investors had been warned about the risks, but they poured money in regardless.

   The trail was clearly marked as closed, yet she hiked on regardless.

   Similaranyway, anyhow, irrespective

   Note

   Built from regard plus -less, its core meaning is simply "without regard." As an adverb it usually comes last in its clause, after the action it qualifies (she ate it regardless), and there it does the work of anyway or in any case. What is being disregarded is left to context, usually a warning or risk already mentioned.

2. 2
   adjective

   Taking too little care or notice of something, in a heedless or careless way.

   He had grown regardless of his health, working through the night for weeks.

   As the deadline neared, the crew grew more regardless of the safety checks they were supposed to run.

   Similarcareless, reckless, heedless, negligent, sloppy

   Oppositecareful, mindful, heedful

   Note

   Here the neglect is a matter of degree, so this adjective takes more and most. In Poe's The Black Cat (1843), the narrator grows "more regardless of the feelings of others." Jane Austen uses the same pattern in Emma (1815), with of introducing what is neglected. Where the sense of ignoring entirely is all-or-nothing, this one describes a carelessness that can deepen over time.

3. 3
   adjective

   Paying no attention to something at all; ignoring it.

   He appeared entirely regardless of the crowd that had gathered to watch him.

   Lost in her grief, she sat by the hospital bed, regardless of everything else in the room.

   Similaroblivious, heedless, unmindful, unaware, indifferent

   Oppositemindful, aware, conscious

4. 4
   prepositionnonstandard

   Paying no attention to; without regard to. A synonym of regardless of.

   The flights kept departing regardless the storm warnings along the coast.

   She answers every letter personally, regardless the sender.

   Similardespite, notwithstanding

   Note

   Usage guides object to this one, because it drops the of that the standard phrase needs. They prefer regardless of the storm warnings to regardless the storm warnings. In careful writing, restore the of. The bare word is safe only as the clause-final adverb, where no noun follows it: she went ahead regardless.

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