You’ve typed “sincerely” for the hundredth time this month, and something feels off. Maybe it’s too formal for your startup colleague, or perhaps too stuffy for your creative client. That closing line sits there, begging for something fresher.
Email signatures matter more than you think. They’re your final impression, your last chance to strike the right tone. Whether you’re writing to your boss, a potential customer, or someone you’ve never met, your sign-off speaks volumes about who you are and how you want to be perceived.
The good news? You have options. Lots of them.
What to Say Instead of “Sincerely” (20 Cool Ideas)
Your email closing should match your message’s tone and your relationship with the recipient. Here are twenty alternatives that can help you strike exactly the right note.
1. Best Regards
This one’s your Swiss Army knife of email closings. Best regards works in almost every situation where you’d normally use “sincerely,” but it feels more modern and approachable.
Use it when you’re writing to colleagues, clients, or anyone you have a professional relationship with. It’s formal enough for important business correspondence but not so stuffy that you’ll sound like you’re writing from the 1950s. The beauty of “best regards” lies in its versatility – it works whether you’re following up on a project, introducing yourself to a new contact, or wrapping up a routine update.
Picture this: you’re emailing a client about their website redesign timeline. “Best regards” hits that sweet spot between professionalism and warmth that keeps the relationship feeling collaborative rather than transactional.
2. Warm Regards
When you want to add a touch of genuine friendliness without crossing into overly casual territory, warm regards does the trick perfectly.
This closing works beautifully when you’ve established some rapport with the recipient but still need to maintain professional boundaries. Think of it as “best regards” with a smile. You might use this when writing to a longtime client who always asks about your weekend plans, or when corresponding with a colleague from another department who helped you solve a tricky problem.
The word “warm” softens the formality just enough to show you care about the person behind the email address. It’s particularly effective in thank-you messages or when you’re offering assistance to someone.
3. Kind Regards
Sometimes you need something that feels both professional and genuinely caring. Kind regards delivers exactly that combination.
This closing suggests thoughtfulness and consideration. It works especially well when you’re delivering news that might be disappointing, offering constructive feedback, or reaching out to someone during a difficult time. The word “kind” implies that you’ve put thought into not just what you’re saying, but how it might affect the person reading it.
Consider using “kind regards” when you’re declining a meeting request but want to leave the door open for future opportunities, or when you’re explaining a policy that might be frustrating for the recipient to hear.
4. With Appreciation
Cut straight to gratitude with with appreciation. This closing acknowledges that the recipient has given you something valuable – their time, their expertise, their consideration.
You don’t need to wait until someone has actually helped you to use this sign-off. It works beautifully when you’re asking for something, because it shows you recognize the value of what you’re requesting. Imagine you’re reaching out to a busy executive for a brief phone call about industry trends. “With appreciation” acknowledges upfront that you understand their time is precious.
This closing also shines when you’re following up after someone has gone out of their way for you. It feels more specific than a generic “thank you” and suggests ongoing gratitude rather than just a quick acknowledgment.
5. Gratefully
Sometimes one word says it all. Gratefully packs genuine emotion into a single, powerful closing.
This works best when someone has truly made a difference for you. Maybe a colleague stayed late to help you meet a deadline, or a mentor took time to review your presentation before a big meeting. “Gratefully” acknowledges not just what they did, but how it affected you.
The strength of this closing lies in its simplicity. You’re not overthinking it or padding it with extra words. You’re just being direct about your appreciation. It feels authentic in a way that longer, more elaborate closings sometimes don’t.
6. Thank You
Bold simplicity often beats complicated formality. Thank you, as a closing cuts through unnecessary words and gets straight to the point.
This works particularly well in follow-up emails or when someone has provided information you requested. Instead of burying your thanks in the body of the email and then adding a formal closing, you can let your gratitude serve both purposes.
“Thank you” as a sign-off feels conversational and immediate. It’s what you’d say if you were ending an in-person conversation, which makes your email feel more natural and less robotic. Plus, it ensures your appreciation doesn’t get lost in a longer message – it’s right there at the end, where they’ll definitely see it.
7. Respectfully
When the situation calls for extra formality, respectfully steps up to the plate. This closing acknowledges hierarchy and shows proper deference without sounding outdated.
Use this when you’re writing to senior executives, government officials, or anyone in a position that warrants extra respect. It also works well when you’re disagreeing with someone but want to maintain a professional tone throughout your message.
“Respectfully” suggests that you’ve carefully considered your words and you understand the gravity of the situation. It’s particularly effective in formal complaints, official requests, or any correspondence where you need to balance firmness with politeness.
The key with this closing is to make sure your message actually backs up the respect you’re claiming. Your tone throughout the email should match the formality of your sign-off.
8. Cordially
Here’s a closing that brings a touch of old-school elegance to modern communication. Cordially suggests warmth and goodwill while maintaining professional distance.
This works especially well in initial introductions or when you’re establishing new business relationships. It has a slightly more formal feel than “warm regards” but doesn’t carry the stuffiness that sometimes comes with “sincerely.”
Think of “cordially” as the email equivalent of a firm handshake and genuine smile. It’s professional but approachable, formal but not cold. You might use it when introducing yourself to a potential business partner, or when reaching out to someone you’ve heard good things about but haven’t met personally.
9. Best Wishes
Sometimes your email is about more than just business – it’s about the person receiving it. Best wishes acknowledges the human being behind the email address and suggests you care about their overall wellbeing.
This closing works beautifully when someone is facing a challenge, celebrating a milestone, or starting something new. Maybe a colleague is moving to a new city, or a client is launching a new product line. “Best wishes” shows you’re thinking beyond just your immediate business relationship.
You can also use this closing to soften requests or potentially disappointing news. It adds a personal touch that reminds the recipient that you see them as more than just another email address in your inbox.
10. Warmly
One word can carry a lot of emotional weight. Warmly suggests genuine affection and care while still maintaining professional boundaries.
This closing works best when you have an established relationship with someone and want to maintain that human connection. It’s less formal than “warm regards” but more professional than “love” or other personal closings.
“Warmly” is particularly effective with clients or colleagues you genuinely enjoy working with. It suggests that your professional relationship has a personal component – you actually like this person, not just the business they bring you.
11. With Gratitude
When simple “thank you” doesn’t feel substantial enough, with gratitude expresses deeper appreciation. This closing suggests that what someone has done for you goes beyond the ordinary.
Use this when someone has gone significantly above and beyond what you expected. Maybe a vendor worked through the weekend to meet your impossible deadline, or a colleague shared insights that completely changed your approach to a project.
“With gratitude” implies ongoing appreciation rather than just momentary thanks. It suggests that you’ll remember what they did long after this particular project is finished.
12. Looking Forward to Hearing from You
Sometimes your closing can do double duty as a call to action. Looking forward to hearing from you wraps up your message while making it clear that you expect a response.
This works well when you’ve asked questions that require answers or when you’re waiting for someone to make a decision. It’s more polite than “please respond” but more direct than a simple “best regards” that leaves response expectations unclear.
The phrase creates anticipation and suggests that their response will be welcomed and valued. It’s particularly effective in sales communications or when you’re trying to schedule meetings or calls.
13. Until We Meet Again
For a closing that acknowledges ongoing relationships, try until we meet again. This phrase suggests continuity and indicates that you see this email as part of a longer conversation.
This works particularly well with clients or colleagues you meet with regularly. It implies that while this particular exchange is ending, the relationship continues. It’s warmer than “talk soon” and more personal than generic professional closings.
You might use this after wrapping up a project phase when you know you’ll be connecting again for the next steps, or after a productive meeting when you’re both looking forward to continuing the collaboration.
14. Cheers
Here’s where professional meets friendly. Cheers brings a casual confidence to your emails that works well in creative industries or with international colleagues who use this closing regularly.
This closing suggests optimism and energy. It’s like raising a glass to celebrate whatever you’ve just discussed in your email. Use it when you’re sharing good news, celebrating a completed project, or just want to inject some positive energy into routine correspondence.
“Cheers” works particularly well in the creative, tech, and marketing industries where casual professionalism is the norm. It’s also effective with younger colleagues or in startup environments where formal hierarchies are less rigid.
15. All the Best
When you want to wish someone well beyond just your immediate business, all the best casts a wider net of goodwill. This closing suggests you want good things for the person in all areas of their life, not just the project you’re working on together.
This phrase works beautifully for final emails in a series – maybe you’ve finished a project together, or someone is leaving their job and you want to wish them well in their next adventure. It has a sense of finality while remaining warm and supportive.
“All the best” also works well when you’re declining something but want to maintain goodwill. It softens the rejection by showing that your inability to help with this particular request doesn’t affect your overall feelings about the person.
16. With Warm Thoughts
Sometimes you want to convey caring that goes beyond professional courtesy. With warm thoughts suggests genuine concern and affection for the person you’re writing to.
This closing works especially well when someone is going through a difficult time, facing a challenge, or celebrating something important. It’s more personal than standard professional closings, but not so intimate that it crosses boundaries.
You might use this when writing to a colleague who’s dealing with a family illness, or to a client who’s navigating a difficult business transition. It shows you’re thinking about them as a whole person, not just as a business contact.
17. Stay Well
In an era where health and wellness are on everyone’s mind, stay well offers a modern take on traditional good wishes. This closing shows you care about the person’s overall wellbeing.
This phrase gained popularity during health crises but remains relevant as a genuine expression of care. It works well with any correspondent where you have enough of a relationship to appropriately express concern for their health and happiness.
“Stay well” is particularly effective when someone has mentioned being busy, stressed, or facing challenges. It acknowledges the pressures they’re under while offering a gentle reminder to take care of themselves.
18. Take Care
Simple and direct, take care suggests genuine concern for someone’s wellbeing. This closing works well when you have an established relationship and want to show you think of them as more than just a business contact.
Use this closing when someone has mentioned being overwhelmed, traveling frequently, or dealing with challenging situations. It’s a gentle way to show you’re paying attention to more than just the business aspects of your relationship.
“Take care” strikes a nice balance between personal concern and professional boundaries. It’s caring without being overly intimate, and it shows that you see the person behind the job title.
19. Yours Truly
For a closing that’s both traditional and slightly playful, yours truly offers a nice alternative to “sincerely.” It has a slightly more personal feel while maintaining appropriate professional distance.
This closing works well when you want to add a touch of personality to your professional correspondence. It’s particularly effective in industries where relationships are important and a little personality goes a long way.
“Yours truly” suggests authenticity – you’re presenting your genuine self rather than hiding behind corporate speak. It works especially well with long-term clients or colleagues where you’ve built trust and rapport over time.
20. With Kind Thoughts
End on a note of genuine care with with kind thoughts. This closing suggests that you’re thinking positively about the person and wishing them well beyond just your immediate business interaction.
This phrase works beautifully when someone is facing uncertainty, making difficult decisions, or going through transitions. It’s more specific than general good wishes and suggests ongoing positive regard.
You might use this when writing to someone who’s considering a job change, dealing with a challenging client situation, or working through complex decisions. It shows support without offering unsolicited advice, and care without overstepping boundaries.
Wrapping Up
Your email closing might seem like a small detail, but it’s often the last thing people read before deciding how they feel about your message. The right sign-off can strengthen relationships, clarify expectations, and leave recipients with exactly the impression you want to create.
Next time you find yourself automatically typing “sincerely,” pause for a moment. Consider your relationship with the recipient, the tone of your message, and the impression you want to leave. With these twenty alternatives in your toolkit, you’ll always have the perfect way to close your emails.
The best closings feel natural and authentic to your voice while respecting the relationship you have with each recipient. Choose wisely, and watch how the right sign-off can transform your email communication from routine to memorable.