Meaning & use
my regards
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phraseformal
A polite expression used to send friendly good wishes to a person who is not present.
Grammar: Usually follows give or send: give my regards to your mother.
Patterns
- give my regards to someone
- send my regards to someone
Please give my regards to your parents.
He sent his regards to the whole team through me.
Give my regards to your sister when you see her.
phrasefixed phraseformalold-fashioned
A formal way to end a letter or message, showing respect and goodwill to the reader.
Grammar: Often placed before the writer's name; kind regards is more common today.
Patterns
- with my regards
With my regards, Mr. Hall.
I hope you are well. My regards to everyone at the office.
He ended the letter with my regards and his signature.
Common combinations
- give my regards to
- Give my regards to the family.
- send my regards
- Please send my regards to the committee.
- with my regards
- With my regards, Anna Brooks.
- my warmest regards
- He wrote, my warmest regards, at the end of the note.
Synonyms and how they differ
- best wishes
- Best wishes is slightly warmer and more common, while my regards is more formal and stiff.
- kind regards
- Kind regards is the usual modern sign-off in email, whereas my regards sounds more traditional.
- respects
- Respects, as in pay my respects, adds a sense of honoring someone and fits more serious occasions.
Word family
Commonly confused: my regards or in regard to?
my regards vs in regard to
In regard to means about or concerning, and has nothing to do with sending good wishes.
Practice
You cannot attend a friend's party. Which sentence sends good wishes through a mutual friend?
Choose one answer.
The phrase my regards follows give or send and is followed by to plus the person. The other options have the wrong word order.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “my regards”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.