Are you trying to go back to a previous topic of discussion with “circling back”? Maybe you’re worried that it’s not very polite or formal to include in a business email.
This article has looked into another way to say “circling back” in an email. We’ve gathered the best alternatives to help you mix things up.
Other Ways to Say “Circling Back”
- Returning to
- Following up
- Touch base
- Reintroduce
- Going back to
- Referring to the previous email
- To come full circle
- To reiterate
- Come back to this
- Checking back
- Let’s revisit
- Let’s reconvene later
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “Circling back” is business jargon that is acceptable in formal emails, though it’s a bit overused.
- Try using “returning to” in professional cases to keep things simple and polite.
- “Following up” works really well when you want to return to some information in more casual settings.
You should read on to remind yourself of the best synonyms for “circling back.” The following sections will demonstrate the best formal and informal options to help you.
We will also explain whether it’s correct to say “circling back” in an email. Skip ahead to the final section if you’d like to learn more about it.
Returning to (Formal)
If you want to politely follow up on an email, there’s nothing wrong with a simple phrase like “returning to.”
It’s a good phrase in professional emails because it shows that you’d like to discuss something from a previous instance.
Generally, this phrase works in business emails when addressing employees. It shows you have something important to share that most likely relates to a previous conversation. Depending on the context, the conversation could have been in person or via email.
Fortunately, you can use “returning to” and “circling back” in similar instances. They are both effective phrases in formal emails. So, feel free to mix and match when you want your emails to be more interesting.
You can refer to the following email examples to help you out:
Dear Scott,
Returning to the previous project, do you have any ideas about it? I would like to hear your thoughts.
My best,
Sharon
Dear Katie,
I would like to return to this when you have thought more about it. I think it’s worth seeing if we can sort out a solution.
Yours,
Darren
Following Up (Informal)
If you’re looking for something slightly more conversational, you can use “following up.” It has less of a professional tone to it, so it works well in casual emails to colleagues.
Try using it when you want to chase up a colleague next time. It shows that you want to discuss something that you might have already spoken with them about. It keeps things simple and friendly without sounding too demanding about the situation.
“Following up” is quite versatile, so it also works well formally. You don’t have to limit yourself to informal situations here. It can even replace “circling back” in some instances if you want to mix up your professional writing.
Here are a few email examples to show you how it works:
Hey Kerry,
I am following up to find out whether you have any more information for me. I’d love to hear back from you.
Thanks a lot,
Samuel
Hi Michael,
Can you follow up with them when you get a chance? I’m not sure if they’re trying to back out of the deal.
Cheers,
Harry
Is It Correct to Say “Circling Back”?
“Circling back” is correct to say. You can use it in a formal email when you want to link back to a previous topic of discussion. It’s a good way to engage the recipient and let them know that you have a specific topic in mind.
It’s known as business jargon. You will often see people using it in professional emails to reintroduce an idea to the recipient.
Here are some email samples to show you how to use it:
Dear Steven,
I would still like to circle back to this topic when we have more information. Please bear with me.
All the best,
Pauline
Dear Christopher,
Circling back on this email, I have also discovered a few pieces of information that might help us.
Let me know what you think,
Dan
Of course, since it’s so common in business format, most people are sick of hearing it. That’s why we gave you a few alternatives to help mix things up.
So, it’s worth bookmarking this page to remind yourself of the synonyms. You never know when it will come in handy to replace “circle back” in an email.