“Sorry To Bother You” Synonyms You Can Use in an Email
Other Ways To Say “Sorry To Bother You”
- Sorry to bother you is a common phrase many people start their emails with. But instead of apologizing, one alternative you could use is to thank the recipient for their time, help, and response.
- Other alternatives are:
- ○ Sorry to bother you with this. → Thank you for helping me with this.
- ○ I apologize for reaching out again.
- ○ I hope I’m not interrupting at an inconvenient time.
- ○ Let me know when is a good time to…
- ○ [Jump straight to the point of the email]
Using “Sorry To Bother You” in an Email
Sorry to bother you (or sorry for bothering you) is a phrase many people start their emails with. Although it’s common and courteous, a lot of people seek alternatives because most of the time, writing an email is nothing to be sorry about.
Or, sometimes people want alternatives to sorry to bother you because they feel the phrase is overused and insincere. Below, you can find five different phrases you can use instead.
Five “Sorry To Bother You” Alternatives
1. Thank you.
Rather than opening an email with an apology, you can thank the recipient(s) for their help and time. This way, you won’t inadvertently admit fault or guilt, but instead, show your appreciation.
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Thank you for your help with all these questions.
Additionally, thanking the recipient is also an alternative to another common email phrase, sorry for the delayed response.
2. I apologize for reaching out again.
There are times when you may find yourself emailing someone a lot: whether it be for help, clarification, or any other reason. In this case, if you feel the need to apologize for being incessant, you can say I apologize for reaching out again.
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I apologize for reaching out again, but I need clarification on this, please.
3. I hope I’m not interrupting at an inconvenient time.
This phrase is as close as a direct synonym to sorry to bother you as you can get.
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I hope I’m not interrupting at an inconvenient time, but I would like to know the status of the report.
4. Let me know when is a good time to…
Often, people use the phrase sorry to bother you because it precedes a tedious and burdensome task or request. If you find yourself in this situation, you can instead ask the recipient(s) when is a good time to thoroughly discuss the task or request.
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Let me know when is a good time to go over a few things I need help with.
To add to this alternative, you can also use:
If you have a moment, I need your help with a few things.
or
If you have time, I need your help with a few things.
5. [Jump straight to the point of the email.]
Sure, plenty of people expect some formalities in emails. But you’d be surprised how many people also appreciate direct, to-the-point communication that doesn’t waste time. If you’re familiar with the recipient(s) and know they value their time, you can skip the sorry to bother you and go straight to the point of the email.
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Have you heard anything about the new clients coming in?Let Me Know When It’s a Good Time To Write Flawless Emails
Again, it’s up to you whether you want to include a phrase like sorry to bother you in your email. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with it, but if you’re looking to switch up your email phrases, you can try any of the options listed above.
Additionally, if you want your emails to be free of spelling and grammar mistakes, make sure to try LanguageTool as your writing assistant. This advanced text editor can correct several types of mistakes, suggest stylistic improvements, and help rephrase sentences to better suit your audience.