English Reference
verb

regarded

v.
US /ɹɪˈɡɑɹdɪd/ UK /ɹɪɡˈɑːdɪd/ re·gard·ed

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    to have been thought of or looked at in a specific way.

    the past participle of 'regard', indicating how a subject was perceived, evaluated, or observed.

    Simple

    For many years, he was regarded as the best doctor in the city.

    In context

    The architect was highly regarded by her peers, not only for her aesthetic vision but also for her commitment to sustainable urban development.

    Usage

    Often followed by the preposition 'as'.

Kerim Alajbegovic and Jeff Ekhator are highly regarded teenagers.

The Guardian· 20 Aug 2026

It had once been regarded as the work of a member of a famous family of Antwerp artists, Ambrosius Brueghel.

The Guardian· 7 Aug 2026

Originated on imageboard website 4chan. Popularized on Reddit beginning around 2022 in response to increasing censorship of the words retard and retarded.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated