You want to conclude an email with a suitably formal tone. But is the phrase best regards an appropriate sign-off in this case?
In this article, we’ll look at 10 alternative email sign-offs that you can use at work or school. Thereafter, we’ll discuss the correctness of this valediction.
10 Alternative Ways to Say “Best Regards”
Below, you’ll find 10 other ways to say best regards in a formal email.
- Regards
- Kind regards
- Best
- Warm regards
- Sincerely
- Best wishes
- All the best
- Yours truly
- Take care
- Thank you
1. Regards
The term regards works well in most professional contexts.
After all, this term shows that you respect the recipient and wish them well. However, it does so without being overly friendly or familiar.
Therefore, you can use this phrase to end off an email to a coworker or a fellow professional from another organization.
In particular, this phrase is perfect if you don’t know the receiver particularly well and want to keep your tone neutral.
Consider the email example below:
Dear Anthony,
Please see the memorandum I have drafted below.
Regards,
Camilo
2. Kind Regards
Kind regards is a great way to politely end an email to a client or customer.
This synonym for best regards comes across a tad more formally than the original phrase. However, it still expresses well wishes to the recipient and is very courteous.
Therefore, this is a safe choice when you want to create a good rapport with the receiver of your email without being overly effusive.
For instance:
Dear Miss Valderrama,
Thank you for your email.
I have forwarded your instructions to the relevant department, and we will update your profile accordingly.
Kind regards,
Velma Darrow
3. Best
Best is a concise yet warm way to conclude an email to a colleague with whom you have a friendly dynamic.
In a busy office setting, it makes sense to keep your inter-office emails as short and sweet as possible, especially if you tend to keep your emails to your coworkers more casual.
Therefore, you can use this phrase to be prompt without coming across as terse.
To see what we mean, check out the following email sample:
Hi Melanie,
Here are the files you asked for.
I’m in the office this afternoon if you need anything else.
Best,
Jorge
4. Warm Regards
The phrase warm regards is generally reserved for communications with people you are close to, such as friends and family.
Therefore, we wouldn’t recommend employing this phrase in a professional email.
However, it is an appropriate phrase to include in a formal letter or email to someone outside of work.
As this phrase expresses warm and loving feelings to the recipient, you could include it in an RSVP to a wedding invitation, for instance.
See the example below:
To Celia Curtil and Joy Demaison (The Brides),
I am pleased to accept your invitation, and I look forward to celebrating such a special day with both of you.
Warm regards,
Elliot Keen
5. Sincerely
Sincerely is a formal alternative to best regards that you can use in an email to a professor at your college or university.
The point of this valediction is to show your genuineness and sincerity, as well as your high regard and respect for the receiver.
Therefore, it makes sense to use this phrase when you are asking your professor a question about your coursework or examinations, for instance.
Let’s see this phrase in a sample email:
Dear Professor Merediz,
I have a number of questions about chapter 14 of our Business Ethics reading.
Are you available to meet and discuss it this week?
Sincerely,
Olga Vives
6. Best Wishes
Best wishes is a rather festive way to sign off an email. Moreover, it expresses optimism for the recipient’s future.
Therefore, it wouldn’t suit a serious business email but could suit a kind email to an employee ahead of the holiday season.
You could also use this phrase if an employee is recovering from an injury or illness.
Essentially, it wishes the recipient well and will hopefully make your staff feel valued and respected.
Have a look at the following email example:
Dear Ethan,
Thank you for all the work you’ve done on this project.
I hope you enjoy your time off and have a splendid Hanukkah.
Best wishes,
Rosaline
7. All the Best
Another way to say best regards is all the best.
You can use this synonym to conclude an email to a coworker with whom you have a close and friendly relationship.
This phrase wouldn’t suit a more serious business email to a client or a professional from another organization.
However, if you have an established rapport with your colleagues, you can use a more kind and positive tone in your emails.
For instance:
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for your help with the presentation.
I think it was a great success!
All the best,
Tonia
8. Yours Truly
As a general rule, you should only use the phrase yours truly to close an email when you don’t know the name of the recipient.
In other words, this valediction would follow when you have started your email with “Dear Sir/Madam” or “to whom it may concern.”
This requirement has all but fallen away in modern times.
However, it would still make sense to use this phrase in a job application email or cover letter, especially when you are unable to find the name of the relevant hiring manager at a particular company.
Yours truly comes across as sincere and earnest. Therefore, it’s a good choice if you want to make a good first impression on the other person.
Let’s see an email sample that includes this phrase:
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to you to inquire about the data analyst position advertised on your company’s website.
I have provided my resume below for you to consider.
Yours truly,
Jade Wilson
9. Take Care
You can close an email to your coworker with take care if they have recently been ill or injured.
This is a kind and thoughtful phrase that reminds your colleague to prioritize their health.
We wouldn’t recommend replacing best regards with this phrase in an email to a superior or client, as it may come across as a tad strange or even presumptuous.
However, if you generally have a friendly rapport with your coworker, this alternative is perfectly suitable.
Consider the example below:
Dear Willow,
Sorry to hear about your fall!
I hope to see you back on your feet soon.
Take care,
Juliana
10. Thank You
Thank you isn’t usually considered a standard email or letter valediction.
Nevertheless, professionals commonly end their emails with this phrase when they have made a request to a colleague and want to preemptively thank the other person for carrying out the said request.
This phrase is rather tonally neutral, so you can use it whether or not you are close to the recipient.
Moreover, adding it to your email will make your request seem less demanding.
To see what we mean, have a look at how we’ve used this alternative in our final email example:
Hi Chase,
Could you send me a copy of the Petal agreement?
Thank you,
Flynn
Is It Correct to Say “Best Regards”?
It is perfectly correct to conclude an email with best regards, especially if you are familiar with the recipient.
This phrase is somewhat friendly but still semiformal. Therefore, it is suitable to include it in professional correspondence.
You can use this phrase in an email to a client, a colleague, or even your boss or professor. You can also use it in an email to an interviewer to show your positive attitude.
However, it is a tad too familiar to include in an initial business email.
Below, we’ve drafted two email samples illustrating how you can use the valediction best regards in practice:
Dear Ms. Ifans,
I have provided the research you requested below.
Please don’t hesitate to ask if I can assist you further.
Best regards,
Fabien
Dear Phoebe,
Thank you for your application.
A member of our recruitment team will be in touch within five business days.
Best regards,
Stephanie Xu
Nest, we’ll look at the correct way to punctuate best regards in your emails to avoid any mistakes:
Mistake: Capitalizing regards
- Incorrect: Best Regards,
- Correct: Best regards,
As a general rule, you should only capitalize the first word of a sign-off since this word starts your sentence. Therefore, the “r” in “regards” should be in lowercase.
Although best regards is a correct phrase, it can come across as overly familiar in some formal or business circumstances.
In addition, this phrase is considered rather standardized.
Therefore, you can use one or more of the alternative sign-offs from our list to diversify your professional correspondence.
