How to end an email professionally: the closing line, the sign-off and examples

The three parts of a good ending

A professional ending has three parts, in this order.

1. A closing sentence: tells the reader what happens next or thanks them.
2. A sign-off: a short polite phrase such as Kind regards.
3. Your name (and, when useful, your title and contact details).

Purdue OWL's etiquette guide advises you to include a sign-off and your name, with examples such as "best, thanks, sincerely", and to add details like department, office location or position when relevant, along with enough contact information for a reply.

The ending matters because it is the last thing the reader sees. One email-tools guide notes that the way you end an email can leave a lasting impression, and that emails that end with a clear request or expectation often receive faster replies. This is the company's own claim, not independent research, but the advice is sensible: if you want something, say what and by when.

A model ending:

Step 1: Write a clear closing sentence

Before the sign-off, add one sentence that points to the next step. Choose the type that fits your message.

A few notes. Signitic's sign-off guide says that "hope this helps" is good, but only works at the end of an email with helpful information included. It also lists "have a great day/week/weekend" as a positive sign-off which can end your email on a high.

The same guide cites a study that says emails that end with some sort of thank you get a higher response rate than those without. We could not verify the study, so treat it as a company claim. Thanking people is polite whatever the numbers say.

Avoid vague endings such as Let me know your thoughts when you actually need a decision. Say what decision and when.

Step 2: Choose a sign-off by formality

The sign-off should match how well you know the person and the tone of your greeting.

The sign-offs Purdue OWL lists as examples are short: "best, thanks, sincerely". Those three cover most situations.

Notes on tone:

• Thanks / Thank you is both polite and useful: it fits when you have asked for something. Thank you is a little more formal than Thanks.
• Regards alone is short and neutral; adding Kind or Best makes it warmer.
• Cheers is friendly in British, Australian and New Zealand English. In American business English it can feel too casual.
• Respectfully is used for senior officials, legal and military contexts, or after a serious disagreement. In ordinary workplace emails it can sound cold or stiff.

HBR's discussion of sign-offs starts from a common experience: how often have you typed, deleted, retyped, and second-guessed your email sign-off before finally hitting send? The best answer is to pick one or two sign-offs you like and use them consistently.

Step 3: Add a name and a simple signature

After the sign-off, put your name. For emails to people who do not know you, add your role and company.

A short signature has:

• Your full name.
• Your job title and company.
• One contact detail, such as a phone number or LinkedIn link, if it helps.

Keep it clean. Avoid long quotes, many colours and large logos, which make messages heavy and look unprofessional on phones.

Examples:

For an ongoing chat with someone you know, your first name is enough. In a formal email, use your full name.

If your email program adds a signature automatically, check how it looks in a reply. Delete repeated signatures from old messages in the thread.

Examples by situation

To a manager

To a client

After a job interview

Following up

Asking for something

Declining politely

Colleague, friendly

Team update

If your reader is also learning English, keep the language simple. Short sentences are easier to understand than long, formal ones.

What to avoid at the end of an email

• Overly casual endings in a first or formal email: Cheers!, Later, xx, or Love.
• No sign-off at all. A message with no ending can feel abrupt. In a quick reply chain, it is acceptable, but add Thanks when you are asking for something.
• Text abbreviations such as thx or pls. Purdue OWL advises against them: don't use text abbreviations, such as "u" for "you".
• Too many exclamation marks. One is friendly, three is too much.
• A long, repeated apology. Say sorry once, then move on.
• "Sent from my phone" in a formal message. Remove the automatic line or replace it with a signature.
• Weak endings such as Anyway… or Hope that makes sense. Use a clear next step.
• Passive aggression: Per my last email, As previously stated. They sound unfriendly. Write As mentioned in my earlier email if you must refer back.
• Mismatching tone. If your email began Dear Dr Jones and ended with Cheers, the tone changes in the middle.

A good final check: read the last two lines aloud. If you would say them to the person face to face, they are probably right.

Can I end with "respectfully" or something fun?

Two questions come up often.

Can I close an email with "Respectfully"? Yes, in the right context. It is common in letters to senior officials, in the legal and military fields, and when you want to be very formal. In ordinary company email, it can sound distant, so Kind regards or Best regards is usually warmer.

How do I end an email professionally but with a friendly or fun tone? Keep the message clear, then add a light, harmless closing line:

• "Have a great weekend."
• "Speak soon."
• "Thanks for making this easy."
• "Looking forward to catching up."
• "Enjoy the rest of your week."

Humour is risky in writing, because tone is easy to misread. If you are not sure the reader shares your sense of humour, choose a warm, simple line instead.

What is the best sign-off for emails? There is no single best one. Best regards, Kind regards and Best work for most professional situations, and they are safe with people you do not know well. Use Thanks when you have asked for help.

For more ways to express thanks in emails and speech, see our list of ways to say thank you. You can also practise saying these phrases aloud with our English speaking practice routine.