Thecomplimentary close is the word (such as "Sincerely") or phrase ("Best wishes") that conventionally appears before the sender's signature or name at the end of aletter,email, or similartext. Also called a complimentary closing, close,valediction, or signoff.
The complimentary close is usually omitted in informal communications such astext messages, Facebook entries, and responses to blogs.
Examples and Observations
September 28, 1956
Dear Mr. Adams:
Thanks for your letter inviting me to join the Committee of the Arts and Sciences for Eisenhower.
I must decline, for secret reasons.
Sincerely,
E.B. White
(Letters of E.B. White, ed. by Dorothy Lobrano Guth. Harper & Row, 1976)
October 18, 1949
DearJosé,
I am glad to hear that you are only half dead. . . .
The moon which moves around over Havana these nightslike a waitress serving drinks moves around over Connecticut the same nights like someone poisoning her husband.
Sincerely yours,
Wallace Stevens
(Excerpt from a letter by American poet Wallace Stevens to Cuban criticJoséRodriguez Feo.Letters of Wallace Stevens, ed. by Holly Stevens. University of California Press, 1996)
Read MoreThe Definition and Examples of SalutationsBy Richard Nordquist
The Complimentary Close to a Business Letter
"The complimentary close must be included in all but the simplified-letter format. It is typed two lines below the last line of the body of the letter...
"The first letter of the first word of the complimentary close should be capitalized. The entire complimentary close should be followed by a comma.
"The choice of the proper complimentary close depends upon the degree of formality of your letter.
"Among the complimentary closes to choose from are: Yours sincerely, Very sincerely yours, Sincerely yours, Sincerely, Cordially, Most sincerely, Most cordially, Cordially yours.
"A friendly or informal letter to a person with whom you are on a first-name basis can end with a complimentary close such as: As ever, Best regards, Kindest regards, Best wishes, Regards, Best."
(Jeffrey L. Seglin with Edward Coleman, The AMA Handbook of Business Letters, 4th ed. AMACOM, 2012)
-"The most common complimentary close in business correspondence is Sincerely. . . . Closings built around the word Respectfully typically show deference to your recipient, so use this close only when deference is appropriate."
(Jeff Butterfield, Written Communication. Cengage, 2010)
- "Business letters that begin with a first name--Dear Jenny--can close with a warmer ending [such as Best wishes or Warm regards] than Sincerely."
(Arthur H. Bell and Dayle M. Smith,Management Communication, 3rd ed. Wiley, 2010)
The Complimentary Close to an Email
"It’s time to stop using 'best.' The most succinct of e-mail signoffs, it seems harmless enough, appropriate for anyone with whom you might communicate. Best is safe, inoffensive. It’s also become completely and unnecessarily ubiquitous. . . .
"So how do you choose?'Yours' sounds too Hallmark. 'Warmest regards' is too effusive. 'Thanks' is fine, but it’s often used when there’s no gratitude necessary. 'Sincerely' is just fake—how sincere do you really feel about sending along those attached files? 'Cheers' is elitist. Unless you’re from the U.K., the chipper closing suggests you would’ve sided with the Loyalists.
"The problem with best is that it doesn’t signal anything at all. . . .
"So if not best, then what?
"Nothing. Don't sign off at all. . . . Tacking a best onto the end of an email can read as archaic, like a mom-style voice mail. Signoffs interrupt the flow of a conversation, anyway, and that's what email is."
(Rebecca Greenfield, "No Way to Say Goodbye."Bloomberg Businessweek, June 8-14, 2015)
The Complimentary Close to a Love Letter
"Be extravagant. As much as you might mean it, don’t end with 'Sincerely,' 'Cordially' 'Affectionately,' 'All best wishes' or 'Yours truly.' Their punctilious formality smacks of someone who wears wing tips to bed. 'Your humble servant' is appropriate, but only for certain kinds of relationships. Something closer to 'Truly, Madly, Deeply,' the title of the British film about undying (for awhile) love, might do.
"On the other hand, if you’ve done your job up till the last sentence of so intimate a letter, the swooning reader won’t notice the omission of this epistolary convention. Be bold. Skip it."
(John Biguenet, "A Modern Guide to the Love Letter." The Atlantic, February 12, 2015)
An Archaic Complimentary Close
The typical complimentary close has grown shorter and simpler over the years. In Correct Business Letter Writing and Business English, published in 1911, Josephine Turck Baker offers this example of an amplified complimentary close:
I have the honor to remain,
Most Eminent Sir,
With profound respect,
Your obedient and humble servant,
John Brown
Unless used for humorous effect, an amplified close such as this one would be regarded as wholly inappropriate today.
FAQs
"A friendly or informal letter to a person with whom you are on a first-name basis can end with a complimentary close such as: As ever, Best regards, Kindest regards, Best wishes, Regards, Best." -"The most common complimentary close in business correspondence is Sincerely. . . .
How do you write best regards at the end of an email? ›
Best regards is a respectful, semiformal way to close an email. It can be used in both personal and professional emails to someone you're relatively familiar with. “Best regard” is a mistake and should be avoided. You need the plural noun “regards” in this sign-off.
Is it professional to say best regards in an email? ›
So, best regards means with my best wishes and esteem, or something to that effect. While sending regards might have once been reserved for close friends and family, the tone it currently implies makes it well suited for informal correspondence, whether business or personal.
What is an example of a complimentary close? ›
Complimentary close
“Sincerely,” “Yours truly” and “Cordially” work well for most forms of correspondence.
Is it better to say regards or sincerely? ›
'Yours sincerely' and 'Yours faithfully' should be reserved for formal emails and letters, such as job applications and business correspondence. You're unlikely to encounter these in day-to-day email correspondence. Therefore 'Kind regards' and 'Best regards' are better options for workplace emails.
What is another way to say sincerely in an email? ›
“Kind Regards” is another professional synonym for “sincerely” that leans towards being friendly and warm. It's formal but has a gentle touch, making it ideal for both business and more personable emails.
Is it professional to say best regards? ›
Other professional letter closings include “sincerely,” “best” and “best regards,” while other casual letter closings include “take care,” “cheers” and “talk soon.”
What is a good closing sentence in an email? ›
Ending with "Best regards," "Sincerely," or "Thank you" works well. These are polite and show respect, perfect for professional settings. "Looking forward to our next steps," Ideal for emails that are part of ongoing projects or discussions, indicating a forward-looking approach.
What is the difference between regards and best regards? ›
In ascending order of authentic personal feeling, they are: Regards —formal, can be dismissive and cold. Best regards — still formal but somewhat more pleasant and attentive. Kind regards — much more personal, meant to indicate genuine concern.
What is the most professional email salutation? ›
Beginning emails with “Dear [Name],” is best for formal emails and emails for contacting someone in a position of respect or authority. Using “Dear” as a direct address is common when sending cover letters and resumes to hiring managers and recruiters.
"The choice of the proper complimentary close depends upon the degree of formality of your letter. "Among the complimentary closes to choose from are: Yours sincerely, Very sincerely yours, Sincerely yours, Sincerely, Cordially, Most sincerely, Most cordially, Cordially yours.
What is a complimentary close short note? ›
The complimentary close is a short and polite remark that ends your letter. The close begins at the same justification as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word of your closing (Thank you) and leave four lines for a signature between the close and the sender's name.
What is another name for a complimentary close? ›
A valediction (derivation from Latin vale dicere, "to say farewell"), or complimentary close in American English, is an expression used to say farewell, especially a word or phrase used to end a letter or message, or a speech made at a farewell. Valediction's counterpart is a greeting called a salutation.
Is it okay to say sincerely in email? ›
Sincerely (yours),
A classic sign-off for any kind of correspondence, Sincerely is formal, but not excessively so. This sign-off, or its slightly more formal version Sincerely yours, is a good choice for something like a job application but may strike too formal a tone for an email to a coworker.
Is sincerely a professional? ›
How to End a Professional Email. Let's start with the basics. As any job recruiter would tell you, the standard way to end any letter is with "sincerely." And don't get us wrong, sincerely is a perfectly acceptable sign off for an email – but it's also unoriginal and overused.
What is the warmest regards? ›
Warm Regards is relatively unusual, even in the more common form Warmest Regards. It's probably best reserved for close friends & relatives. Best Regards is quite common, even in "semi-formal" emails and business letters today.
How do you end a professional email? ›
Professional Ways to End an Email: Email Sign-Offs
- Sincerely.
- Best.
- Kindly.
- Regards.
- Warm regards.
- All the best.
- Thank you.
- Thank you in advance.
"Kind Regards" Alternatives
- Sincerely.
- Cordially.
- Many thanks.
- Take care.
- Sending you the best.
- Respectfully.
- Thank you for reading.
- With gratitude.
