After teaching business English to over 500 students across 12 countries, I’ve noticed something interesting: many learners struggle more with email closings than with the actual message. Last month, one of my students sent a job application ending with “Cheers!” to a Fortune 500 company. We had a long conversation after that.
The truth is, choosing the right email sign-off matters more than most people think. Your closing line creates a lasting impression and sets the tone for future communication. Whether you’re emailing a potential employer, writing to your professor, or corresponding with clients, the phrase you use to end your message can strengthen or weaken your relationship.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share 60 best regards examples organized by situation, plus practical advice on when and how to use each one. You’ll learn which closings work for formal situations, which ones suit casual contexts, and which mistakes to avoid completely.
What Does “Best Regards” Mean?
Before we explore alternatives, let’s understand what “best regards” actually means.
“Best regards” is a professional email closing that expresses respect, goodwill, and friendly formality. Think of “regards” as “good wishes” or “respect.” When you write “best regards,” you’re essentially saying, “I wish you well” or “I respect you.”
In my classroom, I explain it this way: imagine you’re shaking someone’s hand at the end of a business meeting. You’re polite, professional, and warm—but not overly familiar. That’s exactly the feeling “best regards” creates.
When Should You Use “Best Regards”?
From my experience training professionals in corporate communication, “best regards” works best in these situations:
Professional emails to people you know somewhat: When you’ve exchanged a few emails with someone but aren’t close friends, “best regards” hits the perfect balance between friendly and professional.
Follow-up messages: After meeting someone at a conference or networking event, “best regards” maintains professionalism while acknowledging your new connection.
International business communication: Many of my students from non-English speaking countries prefer “best regards” because it’s widely recognized and culturally neutral.
When you’re unsure: If you can’t decide between formal and casual, “best regards” is a safe middle ground that rarely offends anyone.
However, I don’t recommend “best regards” for very formal situations (like first contact with executives) or casual conversations with close colleagues you email daily.
60 Best Regards Examples for Every Situation
Let me share the email closings I’ve collected and tested with students over the years. I’ve organized them by formality level and context so you can quickly find what you need.
Formal Professional Closings (15 Examples)
Use these when writing to senior executives, potential employers, clients you’re approaching for the first time, or anyone in a formal business context.
- Respectfully – Perfect for government officials, judges, or high-ranking executives
- Respectfully yours – Traditional and very formal, good for official letters
- Sincerely – The classic formal closing that works in almost any professional context
- Yours sincerely – Common in British English, used when you know the recipient’s name
- Sincerely yours – Slightly warmer than “sincerely” alone
- Yours faithfully – British style, used when you don’t know the recipient’s name
- Cordially – Warm yet formal, excellent for professional introductions
- Yours truly – Traditional American English formal closing
- With appreciation – Shows gratitude while maintaining formality
- With gratitude – Emphasizes thankfulness in a dignified way
- In appreciation – Formal acknowledgment of someone’s time or help
- With respect – Demonstrates deference to authority or expertise
- Respectfully submitted – Used when submitting proposals or formal documents
- Most sincerely – Adds emphasis to your sincerity
- Yours respectfully – Combines respect with personal acknowledgment
Explore more interesting English topics here:
Standard Professional Closings (15 Examples)
These work for everyday business communication, client emails, and professional networking. They’re my most recommended options for students entering the workforce.
- Best regards – The versatile standard that works in most professional settings
- Kind regards – Slightly warmer than “best regards,” shows friendliness
- Warm regards – Friendlier still, good for ongoing professional relationships
- Regards – Neutral and efficient, though some find it slightly cold
- Best – Short and professional, popular in fast-paced industries
- All the best – Friendly and optimistic without being too casual
- Many thanks – Shows appreciation while maintaining professionalism
- Thank you – Direct and polite, perfect when someone helped you
- Thanks so much – Warmer version of “thank you”
- With thanks – Formal way to express gratitude
- Appreciate your help – Specific acknowledgment of assistance
- Looking forward to hearing from you – Action-oriented and engaged
- Hope to hear from you soon – Expectant yet polite
- Best wishes – Warm and genuine, works in most contexts
- Warmest regards – The warmest option while staying professional
Semi-Casual Professional Closings (15 Examples)
Use these with colleagues you know well, clients you’ve worked with for a while, or in creative industries where formality is less important.
- Cheers – Popular in British English and Australia, friendly but still professional
- Take care – Shows personal concern while staying appropriate
- Thanks again – Good for follow-up emails after receiving help
- Much appreciated – Acknowledges support informally
- Have a great day – Friendly and optimistic
- Have a wonderful weekend – Personal touch for Friday emails
- Stay well – Shows concern for the person’s wellbeing
- Until next time – Suggests ongoing relationship
- Talk soon – Implies continued communication
- Speak soon – Similar to “talk soon,” slightly more formal
- Looking forward to our meeting – Action-specific closing
- Excited to collaborate – Enthusiastic and forward-looking
- Happy to help – Service-oriented and friendly
- Let me know if you need anything – Offers continued support
- Feel free to reach out – Inviting and accessible
Casual/Friendly Closings (10 Examples)
Reserve these for colleagues you’re friends with, informal work environments, or internal team communication.
- Thanks! – Quick and friendly with an exclamation point
- Awesome – Very casual, only for relaxed workplace cultures
- Later – Informal, only appropriate with close work friends
- See you – Good for people you’ll see in person soon
- Have a good one – Casual American English
- Enjoy your day – Friendly without being too casual
- Keep in touch – Personal connection focus
- Catch you later – Very informal, friends only
- Till then – Casual sign-off suggesting future interaction
- Onward – Brief and energetic, trendy in startup culture
Special Situation Closings (5 Examples)
These work for specific contexts my students frequently encounter.
- Wishing you all the best – Perfect for farewell emails
- Congratulations and best wishes – Celebrating someone’s achievement
- With deepest sympathy – Condolence emails (rare in professional settings)
- Happy holidays – Seasonal emails in November/December
- With continued partnership – Emphasizing ongoing business relationships
How to Choose the Right Email Closing: My 5-Step Method
In my business English classes, I teach students this simple decision-making process:
Step 1: Consider Your Relationship
Ask yourself: “How well do I know this person?”
- Never met/first contact: Choose formal closings (#1-15)
- Met once or twice: Use standard professional (#16-30)
- Regular contact for months: Try semi-casual (#31-45)
- Close colleague/friend: Casual works (#46-55)
Step 2: Check the Industry Culture
Different industries have different communication styles. In my experience:
Conservative industries (law, finance, government, healthcare): Stick with formal or standard professional closings. When I worked with banking clients, even executives with 20 years of tenure used “best regards” with each other.
Creative industries (marketing, design, media, tech startups): More flexibility. “Cheers,” “best,” and “thanks!” are common.
Academia: Generally formal, especially with professors. Students should use “sincerely” or “respectfully” with faculty.
International companies: Standard professional closings work best since they’re universally understood.
Step 3: Match Their Tone
I always tell students: observe how the other person signs their emails, then match their formality level or go slightly more formal.
If your boss writes “cheers,” you can reply with “best regards” or “cheers.” If a client uses “sincerely,” don’t jump to “later!” This simple rule has saved my students from many awkward situations.
Step 4: Consider the Email Purpose
Asking for favors: Use “with appreciation” or “many thanks” Delivering bad news: “Respectfully” or “sincerely” Following up: “Looking forward to hearing from you” Thanking someone: “With gratitude” or “appreciate your help” Complaint or disagreement: “Respectfully” (never casual closings)
Step 5: Trust Your Instinct
If a closing feels wrong when you type it, it probably is. In eight years of teaching, I’ve learned that students usually have good instincts about tone—they just need permission to trust themselves.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Let me share the most frequent email closing mistakes I’ve seen in my classes:
Mistake #1: Using Love or Affection in Professional Emails
Never use “love,” “xoxo,” or “hugs” in work emails, even with colleagues you’re friendly with. I once had a student who ended team emails with “love ya!” thinking it built camaraderie. It made people uncomfortable.
The fix: Use “warm regards” or “best wishes” to show warmth professionally.
Mistake #2: Signing Differently Every Time
When you change your email closing constantly, you seem inconsistent or unsure. Pick 2-3 closings for different situations and stick with them.
The fix: Choose one standard closing (like “best regards”) for most professional emails and one warmer option (like “warm regards”) for people you know better.
Mistake #3: Overly Casual in Formal Situations
I’ve seen job applicants use “cheers,” “later,” and even “peace out” in application emails. These instantly damage your professional image.
The fix: When in doubt, err on the formal side. It’s better to seem slightly too formal than too casual.
Mistake #4: Using Regards Examples That Don’t Fit the Content
If your email delivers criticism or bad news, don’t end with “have a great day!” The mismatch seems insincere or even sarcastic.
The fix: Match your closing to your message tone. Serious topics need serious closings.
Mistake #5: Forgetting Cultural Differences
“Cheers” is normal in the UK but can seem odd in American business contexts. “Yours faithfully” confuses many American recipients.
The fix: When emailing internationally, stick with universally recognized closings like “best regards,” “sincerely,” or “thank you.”
How Your Email Signature Complements Your Closing
The closing phrase and signature work together. Here’s the format I teach:
Closing phrase Your name Your title (if relevant) Contact information (optional but helpful)
Example: Best regards, Maria Chen Marketing Coordinator maria.chen@company.com
Professional tip: Don’t include your entire life story in your signature. I’ve seen signatures with 10 lines of text, three logos, and five social media links. Keep it simple—three to four lines maximum.
Practice Exercise: Choose the Right Closing
Try this exercise I use with my students. For each scenario, select the most appropriate closing:
Scenario 1: You’re emailing your professor to ask about extending an assignment deadline. Best choice: Respectfully or Sincerely
Scenario 2: You’re thanking a colleague who covered your shift. Best choice: Thanks so much or Appreciate your help
Scenario 3: You’re applying for your dream job. Best choice: Sincerely or Respectfully yours
Scenario 4: You’re emailing a client you’ve worked with for two years. Best choice: Best regards or Warm regards
Scenario 5: You’re sending a quick question to your team member. Best choice: Thanks! or Best
Conclusion
Choosing the best regards alternative for your emails doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with “best regards” as your default professional closing, then adjust based on relationship, industry, and situation. As you gain experience, you’ll naturally develop a sense for which closing fits each email.
Remember the core principle: match your closing to your relationship with the recipient and the formality of the situation. When unsure, choose a more formal option—you can always become more casual as relationships develop, but starting too casually can damage professional relationships before they begin.
The 60 best regards examples in this guide give you options for every situation you’ll encounter. Save this article as a reference, practice with different closings in low-stakes emails, and soon you’ll write professional emails with confidence.
Your email closing is the last impression you leave—make it count by choosing words that reflect both professionalism and genuine respect for the person you’re writing to.
What’s your go-to email closing? Have you ever made an email sign-off mistake that taught you a valuable lesson? Share your experience in the comments below—your story might help other readers avoid the same situation!
