Do you think “sincerely” is overused? Perhaps you want an alternative to use in an email instead. Well, you’ve come to the right place.
This article has gathered the best synonyms. You will learn another way to say “sincerely” in an email by the end of this!
Other Ways to Say “Sincerely”
- Respectfully
- Humbly
- Truthfully
- Faithfully
- Cheers
- Best wishes
- Yours
- Regards
- Sincerest regards
- Signed
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “Sincerely” is a common formal email closer, and it works well in most professional contexts.
- “Respectfully” is a great formal alternative if you want to sound polite.
- “Humbly” is an interesting choice that works both formally and informally.
You should read on to learn more about the best synonyms for “sincerely.” We’ve explained more about the best alternatives and how they work.
Or perhaps you don’t want a different way to say “sincerely.” Instead, maybe the final section is more to your liking. In the last part, we explain whether “sincerely” is too formal before you use it.
Respectfully (Formal)
“Respectfully” is another word for “sincerely” that works well at the end of an email. You can use it as a formal alternative when you want to close an email or letter politely.
For instance, you might use it when emailing a client. It shows you might have something to share with them and would like to share your “respect” with the adverb “respectfully.” It’s a great way to build a strong relationship with the recipient.
So, when asking how to end a letter in English, “respectfully” should be right up there with “sincerely.” We recommend switching between the two when you want to be professional and polite.
This business letter example will help you with it:
Dear Patrice,
I’m going to have to postpone the meeting for a while. I’ll let you know when I can do it another time.
Respectfully,
Jon Pace
Humbly (Informal)
“Humbly” works well as an informal and formal synonym. It’s very versatile, but you might find it quite useful informally. Unlike “sincerely,” “humbly” doesn’t come across as too serious or formal. So, it works well when emailing friends.
For instance, you might close an email with “humbly” when messaging a colleague. It shows you are messaging them in a more friendly capacity and would like to offer your “humble” thoughts or wishes at the end of an email.
Generally, “humbly” works formally, too. So, you can use it to replace “sincerely” in many contexts. You should try switching between both to keep things interesting.
This example should also show you how it works:
Hey Abbie,
I’m so sorry to contact you this late! I hope we can work out a solution before work starts again tomorrow.
Humbly,
Frank
Is “Sincerely” Too Formal?
“Sincerely” is an acceptable way to sign an email. It is not too formal, making it a useful choice when you want to add a professional flair to the end of a message.
However, it is quite common and overused. “Sincerely” is one of the most common phrases in formal emails, and you may also use it with “yours.” For instance:
- Yours sincerely
- Sincerely yours
Both are correct. However, placing “yours” after “sincerely” sounds much more formal. You should probably reserve this for the most professional of cases; otherwise, it might sound a bit pretentious and annoying.
Also, when signing an email, you need to remember two things.
First, you should capitalize the sign-off phrase like any other sentence. So only the first letter is capitalized:
- Correct: Yours sincerely
- Incorrect: Yours Sincerely
Secondly, you should place a comma after the final word. You do this because the next line is always the recipient’s name. The comma helps to move into the name as the final address.
For instance:
Yours sincerely,
Steven
Bookmark this page to remind yourself of the most useful synonyms. There are always great options to replace “sincerely” when you want to sound formal and polite.