The Unofficial Ranking of Ways to End an Email

There comes a point in every email when you’ve said everything you needed to say and now have to figure out how to leave.

You can’t just stop.

Apparently that would be chaos.

You need a closing. Something professional. Something warm. Something that says, “This correspondence has concluded and I remain a functioning member of society.”

So we have email sign-offs.

And somehow, two words at the bottom of an email can communicate everything from “Have a wonderful afternoon” to “I am documenting this conversation for legal purposes.”

Email sign-offs really do help set the final tone of a message, and the appropriate one depends on the relationship and context.

But this is not an etiquette guide.

This is a ranking.

1. Best

You have given me nothing, and I respect that.

Best what?

Best wishes?

Best regards?

Best of luck with whatever nightmare I just forwarded you?

No.

Just Best.

We're both busy. You'll figure it out.

Rating: 9/10. Efficient. Emotionally unavailable. Perfect.

2. Thanks!

The exclamation point is doing a lot of emotional labor here.

Without it:

Thanks.

Oh.

With it:

Thanks!

LOOK HOW PLEASANT THIS INTERACTION HAS BEEN!

Workplace punctuation deserves overtime.

Rating: 9/10!

3. Thanks in Advance

I have already decided you're doing this.

That's what makes “Thanks in advance” so beautiful.

I haven't received your answer.

I haven't technically received your agreement.

But I have received your cooperation spiritually, and I've gone ahead and thanked you for it.

Rating: 10/10 for confidence.

4. Warmly

Are we coworkers or are you inviting me to a cottage?

“Warmly” feels less like an email sign-off and more like you're about to tell me the blackberry preserves are ready.

I don't dislike it.

I just feel like there should be a knitted blanket nearby.

Rating: 8/10. Cozy.

5. Best Regards

Best what?

Regards?

These are the finest regards I currently have available?

I keep a variety of regards, but for you, I went into the back and got the good ones.

Rating: 8/10. Premium regards.

6. Kind Regards

Professional.

Polite.

Possibly furious.

Kind Regards has tremendous range because it can follow:

“Thank you so much for your help.”

Or:

“As stated in my previous four emails…”

And somehow survive both.

Rating: 9/10. You'll never know how I actually feel.

7. Regards

We used to have Kind.

Something happened.

Nobody removes an adjective accidentally.

Rating: 10/10 if you're trying to let someone know they've disappointed you without generating anything HR can technically use.

8. Cheers

Either British or trying something new.

There are no other possibilities.

Rating: 8/10. Mysterious international energy.

9. Take Care

Depending on context: lovely or vaguely threatening.

“Hope you have a great weekend. Take care!”

Lovely.

“We'll discuss this further on Monday. Take care.”

I will.

Apparently I should.

Rating: 9/10. Requires context and possibly a security camera.

10. Respectfully

There is a 73% chance absolutely nothing above this was respectful.

You don't pull out “Respectfully” because everyone is having a wonderful time.

Respectfully has paperwork.

Respectfully has documentation.

Respectfully knows the date and time of the incident.

Rating: 10/10. See attached.

11. Looking Forward to Hearing From You

You have 48 hours.

Technically, this sounds friendly.

Realistically, a countdown has begun.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

You're now aware that I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

If I do not hear from you, we will both know that you have actively chosen to deprive me of the thing I was looking forward to.

Rating: 9/10. Pleasantly menacing.

12. Please Advise

I am no longer willing to make decisions.

I've carried this problem as far as I'm prepared to carry it.

It belongs to you now.

Please advise.

Rating: 10/10. I am free.

13. No Need to Reply

The greatest gift one human being can give another.

Forget flowers.

Forget gift cards.

Forget covering someone's shift.

Tell me I do not have to respond to your email.

I will remember your kindness for the rest of my life.

Rating: 100/10. A humanitarian.

14. Sent From My iPhone

Any spelling errors are between you and God.

This used to mean, “Please excuse any typos because I'm sending this from a mobile device.”

Now it means:

You got the email.

That's enough.

Rating: 10/10. Standards have been adjusted accordingly.

And Then There Are the Email Sign-Offs We Actually Want to Use

Funny email sign-offs are popular enough to have become their own category of workplace humor, especially among coworkers and people who already know each other.

Which brings us to the sign-offs we may not be putting at the bottom of the quarterly report but would very much like to.

Barely,

Against my better judgment,

Unfortunately still available,

Please hesitate to reach out,

Emotionally out of office,

With reluctant optimism,

Per my therapist,

With whatever energy remains,

Still circling back,

At my limit,

Surviving,

In the trenches,

Warmest regrets,

Hoping this resolves itself,

Available during business hours against my will,

Respectfully declining additional responsibilities,

Sent from my iPhone because I've given up,

Please remove me from this journey,

Whatever happens next is between you and IT.

Would I recommend sending “Barely” to the CEO?

I don't know your CEO.

Maybe they're fun.

Maybe this is how you find out.

So What Is the Best Way to End an Email?

Unfortunately, there is an actual answer.

It depends.

Professional email guidance generally recommends choosing a sign-off based on the recipient, your relationship, and the level of formality of the conversation.

Which makes sense.

“Cheers” to a coworker you've known for eight years?

Fine.

“Whatever happens next is between you and IT” to opposing counsel?

Potentially less fine.

But email doesn't have to sound exactly the same every time.

Sometimes you need professional.

Sometimes you need friendly.

Sometimes you need warm.

Sometimes you need BiteDraft to help you rewrite the entire email because the sign-off is currently the least of your problems.

And sometimes you need to close the laptop.

Barely.