How to End an Email in English

Key takeaways:

• Expressions like Sincerely work best for formal and traditional contexts.
• For everyday professional emails, options like Best regards, Best wishes, or I look forward to hearing from you are polite and versatile.
• Informal closings are great for friends or close colleagues. Examples include Thanks, Talk soon, Take care, Cheers, or even Love and Hugs in more personal situations.
• A professional signature should go beyond your name — it can also include your job title, contact details, or links to your professional profiles.

“How to end an email in English?” is a question that comes up often when writing in different contexts. The way you close your message can sound polite, professional, friendly, or even cold or rude, depending on the phrase you choose.

In this guide, you’ll find closing phrases for emails in English—from the classics to modern and informal options—with practical examples.

General Rules for Email Closings

When writing an email, it’s not just about the content—the tone matters just as much. It shows respect, closeness, or professionalism, and it should always match your relationship with the recipient and the context.

• Informal: Perfect for friends, close colleagues, or casual situations. It can be light, with slang or abbreviations.
• Formal: Best for official, institutional contexts, or when you don’t know the recipient well. The tone is respectful, distant, and impersonal.
• Professional: Common in workplace communication — with colleagues, clients, or partners. The tone should be polite and cordial, but the level of formality depends on company culture and your relationship with the recipient.

Choosing the right closing is like setting the “filter” of your message, it ensures your email is received exactly the way you intend.

Let's now see how to end an email in English according to the context.

How to End a Formal Email in English

Here are some options for formal email closings in English:

• Yours faithfully: It's used in British English when you don’t know the recipient’s name (e.g., “Dear Sir/Madam”). It’s very formal and somewhat traditional, but still used in official contexts.
• Yours sincerely: Also British, but used when you know the person’s name (e.g., “Dear Mr. Smith”). Polite and formal, still common in traditional correspondence.
• Sincerely: A more common and direct alternative to Yours sincerely. Widely used in American English.
• Respectfully / Respectfully yours: Conveys high consideration, often used in legal, military, or official contexts.

Note: In general, expressions with “yours” may sound less modern or even old-fashioned, depending on the context.

How to End a Professional Email in English

The following expressions are commonly used in professional communication. They tend to be formal, but are less rigid than traditional closings like Yours faithfully.

• Best regards: A polite, neutral, and professional closing, suitable for most workplace situations.
• Kind regards: A formal yet slightly warmer and more modern alternative to 'Best regards'.
• Best wishes: Also polite and friendly, without being too personal. Works well in both professional and cordial contexts, and it can also be used informally.
• I look forward to hearing from you: A polite way to show you expect a reply, very common in professional settings.
• Thank you: Simple, polite, and versatile. Expresses gratitude and works in both formal and informal situations.

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How to End an Informal Email in English

Here are more relaxed expressions you can use to close informal emails:

• Thanks: Direct and simple, used in many casual situations.
• Talk soon: Friendly and informal, showing you expect to chat again soon.
• Take care: Warm and caring without being too personal.
• Cheers: Friendly and casual, common especially in British English.
• Warmly: A gentle, affectionate way to close a message.
• Love: Intimate, used with family members, close friends, or partners.
• Hugs: Warm and affectionate, but slightly less intimate than Love.
• XOXO: “Hugs and kisses,” very common in personal, informal emails and online messages.
• See you: Relaxed and casual, expressing the expectation of meeting or talking again soon.
• Onwards and upwards: A motivational and optimistic closing, often used in informal contexts.

How to End an Email in Specific Situations

Every email has a purpose, and your closing can reflect that. For example, you might be thanking a colleague for their help, replying to a client’s question, or emphasizing urgency. Below are useful expressions for specific contexts.

Thank-You Emails

When you want to express gratitude at the end of an email, these closings are effective:

• Thank you for your attention: Formal and polite, used to thank someone for considering the matter.
• Your help is greatly appreciated: Professional and respectful, clearly recognizing the other person’s contribution.
• Thank you in advance: Expresses gratitude for an action you expect the recipient to take. Useful when making requests.
• With gratitude: Simple, polite, and elegant, common in formal contexts.
• With deep appreciation: More formal and emphatic than With gratitude, highlighting sincere recognition.
• Gratefully yours: Formal and respectful, though the use of yours may sound old-fashioned today.
• Many thanks: More casual and common in British English. Friendly but still professional in less formal workplace settings.
• In appreciation: Formal and elegant, highlighting recognition of someone’s effort or support. 
  Urgent Emails / Deadlines

In professional settings, it’s common to need quick responses. You can highlight urgency without sounding demanding. Remember: urgency should never mean sacrificing politeness. Research even shows kindness improves productivity and workplace success.

One simple way is to write a clear and direct subject line so the recipient understands the urgency right away.

Here are some polite closing phrases you can use when stressing urgency in English:

• I appreciate your immediate assistance: Ideal when you need help solving a problem quickly.
• Your swift response would be greatly appreciated: A respectful way to request urgency, showing gratitude in advance.
• Thank you for your understanding of the urgency of this request: Empathetic and polite, recognizing that your request might be inconvenient but still important.

Follow-Up Emails After a Meeting or Call

After a work meeting, it’s common to send a follow-up email to summarize what was discussed or to reinforce the next steps. These closings can help you sound proactive and professional:

• I’ll follow up with the agreed-upon tasks and look forward to our next steps: Shows commitment to action and keeps the focus on moving forward.
• Looking forward to seeing the updates from your side: Polite and clear, great for when the next action depends on the recipient.
• Let me know if you need anything else from me to move forward: Highlights availability and partnership, showing you want to remove any roadblocks.
• I appreciate your time and all the valuable input today: A gentle way to close, perfect when the meeting was productive, and you want to build the relationship.
• Thanks for the productive discussion. I’m ready to move forward: Expresses enthusiasm and a positive sense of urgency, ideal after reaching an agreement.

Customer Support / Service Emails

When writing to customers, your tone matters even more. Closings should be polite, empathetic, and show that you’re available to help:

• If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me: Reassures the customer that you’re available to solve any issues.
• I hope this was helpful! If you have any other questions, feel free to reply to this email: Simple, friendly, and keeps communication open.
• I’m happy I could assist you with this! We’re here if you need anything else: Shows satisfaction in helping and reinforces ongoing support.
• Thank you for your patience while we worked on this. Please let me know if the issue persists: Good for complex cases, combines gratitude with reassurance.
• I’m currently looking into this for you and will get back to you with an update as soon as possible: Keeps expectations realistic while showing the issue is being addressed.

Abbreviations and Emojis: When to Use (or Not)

In English emails and messages, you might come across shortcuts like Thx (for Thanks) or Rgrds (for Regards). These abbreviations are quick and informal, but they’re not always appropriate. You can use them when:

• You're writing to friends or coworkers you know well.
• The tone is casual and relaxed.
• You’re sending a quick follow-up or reminder.

But it’s best to avoid them when:

• You're writing formal emails (e.g., job applications or customer communication.)
• The recipient is someone you don’t know well.
• You want to appear professional and respectful.

Emojis ( like a smile 😊 or thumbs-up 👍), on the other hand, can add a friendly or playful tone to your email. But just like abbreviations, they’re best used sparingly and in the right context. Here are a few tips for using emojis in English communication:

• Stick to casual conversations, not business emails.
• Make sure the emoji’s meaning is clear and appropriate.
• Avoid using too many—they can make your message hard to read or look unprofessional.

Remember: Emojis can be interpreted differently across cultures and age groups. When in doubt, it’s best to keep it simple and polite.

Professional Signatures: How to End an Official Email With Impact

Your email signature can be as simple as your name, but in professional contexts, it’s also a chance to strengthen your personal brand. Consider including:

• Your current job title.
• Your university and graduation year (if you’re a student).
• Phone number and email.
• Your location.
• Links to your personal website or LinkedIn profile.

Elevate Your Emails with Promova

Now that you know how to end an email in English, it’s time to go beyond theory. With Promova’s English learning platform, you’ll build clarity, confidence, and strategy to take your communication to the next level.

In our Business English Course, you’ll learn corporate vocabulary and real workplace situations. In our Writing Course, you’ll master the right tone and learn how to write clear, effective messages.

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Final Thoughts

Knowing how to close an email in English is more than just picking the right words—it’s about setting the tone of your message and expressing the right intention. Whether formal, professional, or informal, the right expressions make sure your email sounds clear, polite, and personal to the reader.

By paying attention to vocabulary, the level of formality, and overall structure, you’ll be able to communicate naturally, confidently, and effectively in any situation.