# Letter writing question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-writing-question/33914>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 20, 2000, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-writing-question/33914 "2000-09-20T22:05:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-writing-question/33914/1 "2000-09-20T22:05:28Z")

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What is the proper way to close a business letter? I’ve know of several ways, but what is considered the most formal?

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-writing-question/33914/2 "2000-09-20T22:07:22Z")

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I always say:  
Sincerely,

```
               (signature)

               Friedo
```

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**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-writing-question/33914/3 "2000-09-20T22:09:19Z")

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Technically “yours truly” is the most formal, but since I don’t like pledging myself to strangers I use the next most formal, “sincerely”. I doubt anyone really reads the closing anyway.

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**Author:** ![Akatsukami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Akatsukami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akatsukami)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-writing-question/33914/4 "2000-09-20T22:20:53Z")

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Well, the _most_ formal closing is probably, “I am, Sir, your most obedient servant”, but that may be a little more formal than you’re looking for.

Closing a business letter with “Sincerely yours” (note that “yours” is actually required) is considered adequate. Even if the text of the letter runs, in effect, “If I merely decide to have my lawyers sue you for everything you’re worth and everything that you hope to earn in the future, consider that you got off lightly, you pustule on the scrotum of stupidity” (you wouldn’t write that _in_sincerely, now, would you?).

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**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-writing-question/33914/5 "2000-09-20T23:03:31Z")

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I had thought of sincerely, but it just didn’t seem right when I looked at it under a letter that basically says ‘I authorize you to do a direct deposit to my acount xxx-xxx’. I don’t know why, but it looked wierd. Looks like I’ll use sincerely. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Sequent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Sequent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sequent)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-writing-question/33914/6 "2000-09-21T01:15:02Z")

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Everybody says “sincerely.” It’s a safe bet, but sometimes you just aren’t in the mood to be sincere. I like to use “Regards” sometimes…