An email’s last line often gets a second look: does “best regards” sound polished, or a little stiff? Millions of people pause at that spot every day, second-guessing a two-word sign-off most of us type without thinking. “Best regards” carries more meaning than its short length suggests. It signals warmth without intimacy, professionalism without coldness, and familiarity without overstepping. Getting it right can shape how colleagues, clients, and strangers read your tone. Getting it wrong rarely causes disaster, but it can leave a faint impression that you were not quite sure how to close. This guide breaks down what “best regards” means, where it sits on the formality scale, when it works, when it backfires, and how to choose a sign-off that fits the moment.
The Literal Meaning Behind the Words
Strip away the email habit and look at the words themselves. “Regards” comes from the verb “regard,” which means to look at, to consider, or to hold someone in esteem. When you send your regards, you are literally sending your good opinion of the person, a small gesture of respect passed across the distance between you. The plural noun form as a closing grew out of commercial letter-writing conventions in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when business correspondence needed polite, standardized endings that worked for people you might never meet.
So “best regards” is not empty politeness. It is a compact way of saying: I see you, I respect you, and I wish you well, but I am keeping things professional. That is the emotional core of the phrase, and once you understand it, choosing when to use it becomes much easier.
Where “Best Regards” Sits on the Formality Scale
One of the most common questions about this sign-off is whether it is formal or casual. The honest answer is that it lives right in the middle. It is more formal than “thanks” or “cheers,” and less formal than “sincerely” or “yours faithfully.” This ranking is editorial convention rather than a codified rule, and style guides genuinely disagree at the edges. No standards body governs English sign-offs, so anyone who tells you “best regards” is definitively “the most professional” or “too informal” is sharing an opinion, not a fact.
Here is a practical way to see the landscape:
| Sign-off | Formality | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Cheers | Low | Casual colleagues, friendly internal notes |
| Thanks / Thanks so much | Low to medium | Quick requests, everyday teamwork |
| Best regards | Medium | Clients, first contact, semi-formal email |
| Kind regards | Medium | Slightly warmer professional tone |
| Warm regards | Medium to high warmth | People you know reasonably well |
| Sincerely | High | Formal letters, applications, complaints |
| Yours faithfully | High (British) | “Dear Sir/Madam” when the name is unknown |
| Respectfully | High | Legal, official, or ceremonial correspondence |
Notice that “best regards” and “kind regards” are near-synonyms. The difference is mostly texture: “kind” leans a touch warmer, “best” leans a touch more neutral and businesslike. “Warm regards” implies more familiarity, and using it with a stranger can feel like a hug from someone you just met.
Why the British Pairing Rules Matter
If you write to UK audiences, there is a traditional pairing worth knowing. In British convention, “Yours faithfully” pairs with “Dear Sir/Madam” when the recipient’s name is unknown, while “Yours sincerely” pairs with a named recipient. “Best regards” is not part of this classic dance. It is generally treated as a less formal alternative that sits outside the old rules.
That does not make it wrong. It simply means that in very traditional British formal correspondence, a reader might notice the shift in register. For everyday email, nobody will blink. For a formal letter to a government office or a legal matter, plain and direct closings tend to be favored, and “best regards” may feel slightly out of place. The lesson is simple: match the sign-off to the room you are writing into.
When “Best Regards” Works Best
In practice, “best regards” shines in a handful of situations. It is a reliable choice for semi-formal or first-contact professional email, where you want to sound courteous without assuming closeness. It works well with clients, vendors, and people outside your organization. It is safe for follow-ups, introductions, and messages where you are being polite but not chummy.
A few practical tips from real email habits:
- Use it when you have not yet built rapport and want a neutral, respectful tone.
- Pair it with a clear, specific subject line so the sign-off is not doing all the politeness work.
- Keep the body warm enough that the closing does not feel like the only friendly part of the message.
- Use “kind regards” when you want a slightly softer edge with someone you have spoken to before.
The most common mistake is overthinking it. People rewrite the same closing five times, then send a message that reads stiffly because the body was rushed and the sign-off got all the attention. A clean, direct message with “best regards” at the end will almost always land better than a beautifully signed email with a vague point.
When to Skip It
“Best regards” is not universal, and there are moments when another closing serves you better. In highly formal legal or official correspondence, “Yours faithfully,” “Yours sincerely,” or “Respectfully” may be preferred. In internal chat-style messages, “thanks” often feels more natural and human. And in emotionally charged situations, such as condolences or apologies, a warmer or more direct closing usually fits better than a neutral business sign-off.
Another common misstep is using “best regards” in a message that is actually a complaint or a firm boundary. The mismatch between a polite closing and a sharp message can read as passive-aggressive. When the content is serious, let the closing match the weight of the words.
Common Mistakes People Make
Even experienced writers trip on the same small things. Here are the errors that show up again and again, and what actually works instead.
- Capitalizing both words in mid-sentence. “Best Regards” belongs on its own line as a closing, usually with only the first word capitalized: “Best regards.” Save the title case for headings.
- Adding a comma after the closing. Modern email style generally drops the comma. “Best regards” followed by your name on the next line is clean and standard.
- Stacking closings. “Best regards and thanks in advance” is clutter. Pick one and let it stand.
- Using it with people you message daily. If you and a coworker trade messages all day, “best regards” every time can feel oddly formal. “Thanks” is fine.
- Forgetting the name. A sign-off followed by no name, or by an auto-signature that repeats your whole job history, undercuts the personal touch the closing was meant to create.
None of these are catastrophic. But small consistency is what makes writing feel effortless to the reader, and effortless is the goal.
How “Best Regards” Compares to Other Warm Closings
People often ask whether “best regards,” “kind regards,” and “warm regards” are interchangeable. Mostly, yes, but the temperature shifts. Think of them as a dial rather than three separate switches. “Best regards” is the neutral setting. “Kind regards” turns the dial slightly warmer. “Warm regards” turns it further, and should generally be reserved for people you actually know.
There is a similar logic in how we choose meaningful gestures elsewhere in life. Just as a thoughtful bouquet works because flower choices carry meaning and care that lasts, a sign-off works when the words match the relationship. A rose sent to a stranger reads differently than one sent to a close friend, and “warm regards” sent to a new client carries the same slight mismatch. The principle is the same: the gesture should fit the connection.
What the Words Tell You About the Sender
Reading between the lines is a useful skill. When someone closes with “best regards,” you can usually infer a few things: they are being polite, they are keeping a professional distance, and they are not trying to be cold. It is the verbal equivalent of a firm handshake and a small smile. It says “I am glad to be working with you” without saying “we are friends.”
This matters when you are the one receiving the email. A “best regards” from a new contact is not a snub. It is simply the default courteous setting. A “warm regards” from that same person three months later, after you have worked together, is a small signal that the relationship has moved. Paying attention to those shifts can tell you a lot about how a working relationship is developing.
Practical Guidance for Choosing Your Closing
If you want a simple decision process, try this. Ask yourself three questions: How well do I know this person? How formal is the situation? What do I want the reader to feel? Then pick the closing that fits all three answers.
For a first email to a potential client, “best regards” is a safe, respectful choice. For a quick note to a teammate, “thanks” is warmer and more natural. For a formal application, “sincerely” signals seriousness. For a message to someone you have known for years, “warm regards” or even a simple “take care” feels human.
There is also a cultural dimension worth noting. Business writing conventions vary around the world, and what reads as pleasantly formal in one country can read as stiff in another. When in doubt, mirror the tone of the person you are writing to. If they close with “best regards,” matching it is a quiet form of rapport. If they close with “cheers,” loosening up is the better move.
A Note on Tone and Consistency
The best sign-off is the one that disappears into the message. Readers should notice your point, not your punctuation. Consistency helps here. Pick one or two closings you use regularly and rotate them based on context. Over time, your sign-off becomes part of your voice, and people stop noticing it entirely, which is exactly what you want.
This same principle of fit applies across many areas of writing and meaning. Just as a word like appraisal carries a specific meaning in property and finance work that shifts depending on context, “best regards” means something slightly different in a job application than it does in a friendly follow-up. Context is everything, and the words are only half the message.
Conclusion
“Best regards” is a small phrase with a clear job: it closes a message with respect, warmth, and just enough distance to stay professional. It sits comfortably in the middle of the formality scale, which is exactly why it works so often. It is not the most formal closing, and it is not the most casual, but it is one of the most versatile. The key is to match it to the relationship and the situation rather than reaching for it out of habit. When the words fit the moment, the sign-off fades into the background and lets your message do the talking. That is the real meaning of “best regards”: a quiet, courteous handshake at the end of your words.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “best regards” formal or informal?
It is neither extreme. “Best regards” sits in the middle of the formality scale, more formal than “thanks” or “cheers” and less formal than “sincerely” or “yours faithfully.” It is a reliable choice for semi-formal and first-contact professional email.
What does “best regards” actually mean?
The phrase sends your good opinion and respect to the reader. “Regard” means to look at or hold in esteem, so “best regards” is a compact way of saying you respect the person and wish them well while keeping a professional distance.
Is “best regards” the same as “kind regards”?
They are near-synonyms. “Kind regards” leans slightly warmer, while “best regards” leans slightly more neutral and businesslike. Either works in professional email, and the difference is a matter of texture rather than rule.
Can I use “best regards” in a formal letter?
It depends on how formal. In everyday business email it is fine. In very formal or legal correspondence, closings like “sincerely,” “yours faithfully,” or “respectfully” are usually preferred, and “best regards” may feel slightly out of place.
Should there be a comma after “best regards”?
Modern email style generally drops the comma. Placing “best regards” on its own line with your name below it is clean and standard, and only the first word should be capitalized.
When should I avoid “best regards”?
Skip it in casual chat-style messages with close colleagues, in emotionally sensitive notes like condolences or apologies, and in sharp or complaint-style emails where a neutral closing can read as passive-aggressive. Match the closing to the weight of the message.
