sincerely or sincerely yours

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phraseformal

   A polite closing used at the end of a formal letter or email before your name.

   Grammar: Comes at the very end, followed by a comma in US style or nothing in UK style, then your name on the next line.

   Patterns

   • Sincerely, [your name]
   • Sincerely yours, [your name]

   Thank you for your help with this matter. Sincerely, Maria Lopez

   I look forward to your reply. Sincerely yours, David Chen

2. 2phrasefixed phraseinformal

   Used to ask which of the two closing formulas is correct in a letter.

   Grammar: This is a question about usage, not a closing itself; it often appears as 'sincerely or sincerely yours?' in writing guides.

   Patterns

   • Is it sincerely or sincerely yours?
   • Should I write sincerely or sincerely yours?

   I never know whether to write 'sincerely' or 'sincerely yours' at the end of a job letter.

   The style guide explains when to use 'sincerely' or 'sincerely yours'.

Common combinations

Sincerely yours

Sincerely yours, Alan Smith

Yours sincerely

Yours sincerely, Priya Patel

Sincerely,

Sincerely, Kim Lee

Synonyms and how they differ

Yours sincerely

The usual British order; use it when you know the reader's name.

Yours faithfully

British closing used when you do not know the reader's name, e.g. 'Dear Sir or Madam'.

Best regards

Less formal and warmer; suitable for business emails to people you know.

Word family

sincere adjective

Honest and genuine in feeling.

sincerity noun

The quality of being honest and genuine.

Commonly confused: sincerely or sincerely yours or Yours faithfully?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “sincerely or sincerely yours”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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