When it comes to signing off a letter or email, choosing the right closing phrase can make all the difference. Whether you’re writing a formal email, a heartfelt note, or a casual message, the way you end it speaks volumes about your tone and intent. For many, “Sincerely” has become a go-to option, but there are numerous other ways to express care, warmth, and professionalism.
Finding the right words to convey your message thoughtfully can enhance your communication and make the recipient feel truly valued. Below, you’ll discover 20 alternative sign-offs that allow you to express your feelings and intentions in various contexts.
What Does “Sincerely” Mean?
Sincerely is a common closing used in formal writing. It shows that you are being earnest and genuine in your communication. It signals honesty and respect for the recipient, especially in professional correspondence. However, while it’s suitable in many situations, it can feel impersonal or too standard in some cases. Exploring alternatives gives you more options to tailor your closing to the specific tone you want to convey.
Is It Professional/Polite to Say “Sincerely”?
Yes, “Sincerely” is professional and polite in most situations. It’s appropriate for business emails, formal letters, or when addressing someone you don’t know very well. However, depending on the relationship or tone of the conversation, it may feel too rigid. In more casual or personal interactions, you might want to consider a warmer, more informal sign-off.
Advantages or Disadvantages
Advantages:
- Widely accepted and professional across formal settings.
- Neutral and easy to use, ensuring appropriateness in most contexts.
Disadvantages:
- Overused and can feel generic or impersonal.
- Lacks emotional depth for personal communication.
- May seem insincere if used excessively.
Synonyms for Sincerely
- Best Wishes
- Warm Regards
- All the Best
- Kind Regards
- Best Regards
- With Appreciation
- Take Care
- Cheers
- Yours Truly
- With Warmth
- Respectfully
- With Gratitude
- Warmest Regards
- Fondly
- Yours Faithfully
- With Best Regards
- Looking Forward
- Stay Safe
- Peace
- Until Next Time
1. Best Wishes
Meaning: A warm, positive closing often used in both formal and informal contexts.
Definition: An expression of goodwill and hope for the recipient’s future.
Detailed Explanation: This closing conveys a sense of hope and positivity, making it suitable for personal messages or messages where you want to leave a positive impression.
Scenario Examples:
- “I wish you all the best with your new job. Best wishes, Jane.”
- “Thank you for your help on the project. Best wishes, John.”
Best Use: Ideal for personal letters, celebratory messages, or when wishing someone success.
Tone: Warm, positive, and friendly.
2. Warm Regards
Meaning: A polite, somewhat formal sign-off that conveys warmth.
Definition: A closing that expresses cordiality and warmth, without being overly casual.
Detailed Explanation: Warm regards is perfect for professional settings where you want to convey friendliness while still maintaining a level of professionalism.
Scenario Examples:
- “Thank you for the update. Warm regards, Sarah.”
- “It was a pleasure working with you. Warm regards, Tom.”
Best Use: Suitable for business emails, networking, and semi-formal communication.
Tone: Friendly yet professional.
3. All the Best
Meaning: A cheerful, positive closing that expresses good wishes.
Definition: This phrase is used to convey a sense of goodwill and a desire for the recipient’s success.
Detailed Explanation: All the best is a warm and slightly informal alternative to Sincerely. It is suitable for personal letters, congratulatory messages, or when you want to end a communication on an upbeat note.
Scenario Examples:
- “Enjoy your vacation! All the best, Linda.”
- “Congratulations on your new role! All the best, Mark.”
Best Use: Personal messages or lighthearted emails.
Tone: Positive, warm, and informal.
4. Kind Regards
Meaning: A respectful and courteous sign-off used in professional communication.
Definition: A polite and professional closing, often used in business correspondence.
Detailed Explanation: Kind regards strikes a balance between formal and casual, making it an excellent choice for workplace communication or semi-formal emails.
Scenario Examples:
- “Looking forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Emily.”
- “Thank you for your assistance. Kind regards, Richard.”
Best Use: Professional emails, customer service communication, or formal requests.
Tone: Polite, respectful, and formal.
5. Best Regards
Meaning: A neutral, friendly alternative to Sincerely.
Definition: A warm yet professional closing that works well in most contexts.
Detailed Explanation: This phrase is a slightly less formal version of Kind regards but still maintains professionalism. It’s suitable for workplace emails, thank-you notes, or correspondence where you want to keep a positive, approachable tone.
Scenario Examples:
- “I look forward to working together. Best regards, Anna.”
- “Thanks again for your help. Best regards, Michael.”
Best Use: Professional emails, networking messages, and polite communications.
Tone: Friendly, professional, and neutral.
6. With Appreciation
Meaning: A heartfelt and gracious sign-off.
Definition: Expresses genuine gratitude toward the recipient.
Detailed Explanation: With appreciation shows that you value the person’s effort or kindness, making it perfect for thank-you letters, professional notes, or any situation where you want to emphasize gratitude.
Scenario Examples:
- “Thank you for all your hard work on the project. With appreciation, Laura.”
- “I really appreciate your help with this issue. With appreciation, Jim.”
Best Use: Thank-you notes, emails expressing gratitude, or situations where you want to emphasize your thanks.
Tone: Grateful, sincere, and professional.
7. Take Care
Meaning: A warm, friendly closing that conveys care and well-wishes.
Definition: A closing that suggests the sender wishes the recipient well and hopes they stay safe and healthy.
Detailed Explanation: Take care is more casual and caring, making it ideal for close friends, family members, or colleagues you’ve worked with closely.
Scenario Examples:
- “Hope to see you soon! Take care, Rachel.”
- “Wishing you the best. Take care, David.”
Best Use: Informal communication, personal emails, or messages to people you’re familiar with.
Tone: Warm, friendly, and caring.
8. Cheers
Meaning: A casual, friendly closing often used in British English.
Definition: A lighthearted, informal sign-off typically used among friends and peers.
Detailed Explanation: While Cheers is a common sign-off in British English, it’s increasingly used in American English as well. It’s ideal for informal or friendly exchanges.
Scenario Examples:
- “Looking forward to our meeting! Cheers, Greg.”
- “Thanks for everything. Cheers, Fiona.”
Best Use: Casual emails, informal communication with peers, and friendly exchanges.
Tone: Casual, lighthearted, and friendly.
9. Yours Truly
Meaning: A traditional, somewhat formal closing.
Definition: A courteous, formal sign-off used in personal and professional letters.
Detailed Explanation: Yours truly is less common than it used to be but still conveys a sense of sincerity and respect, especially in personal or professional correspondence.
Scenario Examples:
- “Thank you for your time. Yours truly, Nathan.”
- “I look forward to hearing from you. Yours truly, Sarah.”
Best Use: Formal letters, legal documents, or professional correspondence.
Tone: Formal, respectful, and sincere.
10. With Warmth
Meaning: A caring and warm closing that expresses genuine sentiment.
Definition: A heartfelt expression used to convey warmth and affection.
Detailed Explanation: With warmth is more personal and intimate, suitable for family members, friends, or close colleagues. It is ideal when you want to convey a deep sense of care.
Scenario Examples:
- “I’ll miss you! With warmth, Emma.”
- “Thank you for everything. With warmth, James.”
Best Use: Personal letters, family messages, or emails to close friends.
Tone: Warm, caring, and intimate.
11. Respectfully
Meaning: A formal closing that shows deference and consideration.
Definition: A sign-off that indicates respect for the recipient, often used in professional or formal settings.
Detailed Explanation: Respectfully is most commonly used in formal situations, especially when addressing someone in authority or a situation requiring politeness. It conveys a sense of courtesy and professionalism.
Scenario Examples:
- “Thank you for your attention to this matter. Respectfully, John.”
- “I appreciate your time and consideration. Respectfully, Mary.”
Best Use: Formal letters, requests, or messages requiring professional decorum.
Tone: Polite, formal, and respectful.
12. With Gratitude
Meaning: A heartfelt expression of thanks.
Definition: A warm sign-off that conveys deep appreciation and thankfulness.
Detailed Explanation: With gratitude is perfect for expressing sincere thanks for someone’s help, kindness, or efforts. It works well for both personal and professional correspondence, emphasizing a strong sense of appreciation.
Scenario Examples:
- “Your help was invaluable. With gratitude, Olivia.”
- “Thank you for your support. With gratitude, Alex.”
Best Use: Thank-you notes, emails expressing appreciation, or messages of thanks.
Tone: Sincere, appreciative, and warm.
13. Warmest Regards
Meaning: An even warmer variation of Warm Regards.
Definition: A polite and somewhat intimate closing that conveys warmth and affection.
Detailed Explanation: Warmest regards is slightly more personal and affectionate than Warm regards, making it perfect for closer relationships, both professional and personal.
Scenario Examples:
- “It was wonderful working with you. Warmest regards, Emily.”
- “Hope to keep in touch. Warmest regards, Henry.”
Best Use: Semi-formal emails, colleagues you have a friendly rapport with, or personal messages to people you care about.
Tone: Warm, friendly, and personable.
Read More: Other Ways to Say “Have a Great Rest of Your Week” (With Examples)
14. Fondly
Meaning: A caring and affectionate sign-off, typically used in more personal communication.
Definition: A warm, sincere expression of affection, often used with friends or family.
Detailed Explanation: Fondly conveys a sense of deep affection and warmth. It is suitable for informal settings, especially with people you are close to.
Scenario Examples:
- “I miss you so much. Fondly, Lily.”
- “Take care and stay in touch. Fondly, Greg.”
Best Use: Personal messages, letters to loved ones, or close friends.
Tone: Affectionate, warm, and intimate.
15. Yours Faithfully
Meaning: A formal closing often used in letters where the recipient is unknown or when the letter begins with “Dear Sir/Madam.”
Definition: A formal and respectful sign-off, traditionally used in business and professional correspondence.
Detailed Explanation: Yours faithfully is used when addressing someone you haven’t met or don’t know personally, especially in formal correspondence such as job applications or cover letters.
Scenario Examples:
- “I look forward to your response. Yours faithfully, Robert.”
- “Thank you for your consideration. Yours faithfully, Susan.”
Best Use: Formal letters, business communication, and applications.
Tone: Formal, respectful, and professional.
16. With Best Regards
Meaning: A polite and friendly closing often used in professional settings.
Definition: A variation of Best regards, suitable for emails or letters where you want to convey professionalism with a touch of friendliness.
Detailed Explanation: With best regards is similar to Best regards but adds a slightly more personal touch. It’s used in both professional and semi-formal settings, balancing warmth and professionalism.
Scenario Examples:
- “I look forward to working together. With best regards, Maria.”
- “Thank you for your time. With best regards, David.”
Best Use: Business emails, professional networking, and semi-formal communication.
Tone: Professional, friendly, and warm.
17. Looking Forward
Meaning: An optimistic sign-off expressing anticipation for future interaction.
Definition: A closing that conveys enthusiasm and hope for future communication or events.
Detailed Explanation: Looking forward is often used when you want to express that you’re eager to continue a conversation or relationship. It’s ideal for emails where follow-up is expected.
Scenario Examples:
- “I’m excited about our next meeting. Looking forward, Julia.”
- “I hope we can collaborate soon. Looking forward, Michael.”
Best Use: Emails where follow-up or further discussion is anticipated.
Tone: Enthusiastic, hopeful, and forward-thinking.
18. Stay Safe
Meaning: A caring, informal closing that expresses concern for someone’s well-being.
Definition: A sign-off used to convey care and concern, especially during times of uncertainty or distress.
Detailed Explanation: Stay safe became especially popular during the COVID-19 pandemic but can be used anytime you want to express concern for someone’s safety or well-being.
Scenario Examples:
- “I hope to see you soon. Stay safe, Mark.”
- “Take care and stay healthy. Stay safe, Caroline.”
Best Use: Informal emails, messages during times of crisis or uncertainty.
Tone: Caring, warm, and informal.
19. Peace
Meaning: A casual, laid-back sign-off that expresses a wish for calm and tranquility.
Definition: A sign-off that suggests a peaceful and relaxed sentiment, typically used in informal communication.
Detailed Explanation: Peace is ideal for personal messages where you want to convey a sense of calm and harmony. It’s often used among close friends or in casual settings.
Scenario Examples:
- “I hope everything is going well for you. Peace, Josh.”
- “Take care and keep in touch. Peace, Sam.”
Best Use: Casual, friendly, and informal communication.
Tone: Relaxed, informal, and easygoing.
20. Until Next Time
Meaning: A casual, friendly closing that indicates you look forward to future communication.
Definition: A lighthearted sign-off that suggests anticipation for your next interaction.
Detailed Explanation: Until next time implies that you’ll be in touch again and signals an ongoing relationship or conversation. It’s ideal for informal communication.
Scenario Examples:
- “It was great catching up! Until next time, Anna.”
- “Looking forward to our next chat. Until next time, Mike.”
Best Use: Informal conversations, messages to friends or acquaintances you’ll speak with again soon.
Tone: Friendly, informal, and hopeful.
Conclusion
Choosing the right sign-off is an important part of crafting a message that reflects your tone, intention, and relationship with the recipient. Whether you’re using a formal closing like Yours Truly or a casual one like Cheers, each option allows you to express yourself in a unique way. By understanding the nuances of different sign-offs, you can choose the one that best matches your message, ensuring that you communicate your thoughts with clarity and care.
Sam Hayes is an experienced writer and grammar enthusiast with a passion for helping others master the art of effective communication. With a focus on clarity and precision, Sam’s expertise spans from editing to creating informative content that educates and engages readers.
