Do you want to know the best ways to disregard information in an email?
If you’re worried that “never mind” isn’t an appropriate or professional phrase to use in this regard, you’ve come to the right place.
This article will show you how to say “never mind” professionally or politely.
Is It Rude to Say “Never Mind”?
It is rude to say “never mind” in certain contexts. The phrase itself often requires more of an explanation as to why something is unimportant or should be disregarded.
If you use it on its own, it’s always rude. It’s also unprofessional. So, it’s best not to use it in an email.
Still, you can use it when discussing something with your friends. It’s a straightforward way to tell them to forget information.
Check out this text message sample to learn more about it:
Never mind, Bill. I don’t think we need to discuss this anymore, as I don’t think it’s good for us.
Pros
- It’s a direct way to get someone to disregard something.
- It’s clear and to the point.
Cons
- It’s rude if you don’t use more words to explain why you’re saying it.
- It’s very blunt.
Well, it’s clear that “never mind” doesn’t work in an email. So, with that in mind, it’s time to explore some alternatives that might do the job better!
Keep reading to learn how to say “never mind” in an email. We’ve gathered a list of some of the best synonyms to help you with this situation.
What to Say Instead of “Never Mind”
- Please disregard that
- Let’s overlook that
- No need to worry about it
- It’s not a concern
- Let’s move past that
- Forget about it
- No need to dwell on it
- It’s not essential
- We can set that aside
1. Please Disregard That
One of the most polite phrases to use instead of “never mind” is “please disregard that.”
Generally, this is a great professional alternative that suggests you don’t want someone to pay attention to what you just said.
For the most part, it’s a simplistic choice that shows you’re not happy with the last comment. You might have brought it up yourself, but you realize that it didn’t add anything of value.
So, this is a respectful choice to get the recipient to ignore it.
Try it when messaging a client. It suggests that you’d both be better suited to moving the conversation on.
Here’s a helpful email sample to show you a bit more about it:
Dear Ms. Wells,
Please disregard that information, as it no longer applies here.
I’ll send you another email as soon as I have something more to add.
Thank you so much,
Ben Dickinson
2. Let’s Overlook That
Next, it’s good to write “let’s overlook that” in your emails.
After all, it’s a formal and respectful phrase that suggests you’d like to move past something mentioned.
It’s akin to saying “never mind.” But it’s much more polite. That’s what makes it so reasonable to include in your emails.
Generally, you can use it when writing to an employee. If you’ve noticed they’re fixating on something you deem irrelevant or unnecessary, this might help to encourage them to move on.
It’s also worth reviewing this sample email to learn a bit more:
Dear Carla,
Let’s overlook that and see what else we can learn about the situation.
I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to move to the next most important topic.
Kind regards,
Sally Thompkins
3. No Need to Worry About It
Try “no need to worry about it” as a polite way to say “never mind.”
This one isn’t the most professional choice, but sometimes, that helps! After all, it’s a bit more friendly and supportive.
Rather than telling someone to disregard a comment or question, this phrase simply encourages someone not to worry.
This can work well when replying to a coworker. If they’re worried about something specific, you can use this phrase to remind them that there’s really no need to be so concerned.
Also, it’s best to review this example to learn a bit more:
Dear Abbie,
No need to worry about it anymore!
I’ve sorted most of the problems, so you shouldn’t have to stress as much.
All the best,
Horace Glow
4. It’s Not a Concern
Try “it’s not a concern” as another way to say “never mind.” It’s a good choice in formal situations when you’d like someone to ignore something.
For the most part, you can use it when writing to your boss. It suggests that they don’t need to worry about the last thing you sent them anymore as it’s outdated or irrelevant.
Of course, your boss might still pester you about it. However, that’s beyond your control!
As long as you use this phrase, which keeps things respectful and genuine, you’ve done your duty!
You might also want to review this sample email to learn more:
Dear Ms. Bennett,
It’s not a concern anymore, as we’ve managed to find a solution.
I still appreciate you checking in to see how we were getting on with it, though.
Yours,
Kyle Johnson
5. Let’s Move Past That
Next, we recommend using “let’s move past that” to mix things up.
This time, it’s a bit of a friendly and conversational synonym. It helps people to see that you don’t think something is relevant to discuss, so you’d prefer it if they could move on.
Generally, this will work best when contacting employees.
Keeping a more friendly tone will help you to build better relationships with people who work for you.
After all, you shouldn’t always try to be above everyone else. It’s good to bring yourself to their level sometimes to remind them that they matter too.
Check out the following email example if you still need help with it:
Dear Joanna,
Let’s move past that, as I don’t think it’s going to help this situation.
Did you have any other ideas you’d like to run past me before the meeting?
All the best,
Sarah Blake
6. Forget About It
You may also want to write “forget about it” instead of “never mind.”
Generally, this is a more friendly and direct way to show someone you don’t want them to think about something for too long.
It tends to work best when writing to a colleague. After all, it’s going to be more effective when you already have a good relationship in place with the recipient.
So, you may want to review this email sample to learn a bit more about how it works:
Dear Misty,
Forget about it. After all, I don’t think it’s worth mentioning.
We should move on and discuss something that’s more important.
Yours,
Clark Kent
7. No Need to Dwell on It
It’s also smart to write “no need to dwell on it” when mixing things up.
Generally, this is a more formal and sincere way to encourage someone to ignore something you said.
If you say “don’t dwell on it,” it means you want someone to move on. The implication is that you don’t want them wasting their time on something that doesn’t matter.
Therefore, this works best when writing to a student. It’s a fantastic option that suggests you don’t want a student getting into their own head worrying about something that might affect their work.
Also, it’s worth reviewing this example to learn a little bit more:
Dear Alicia
There’s no need to dwell on it anymore.
It’s not worth your time, and I want you to focus more on your assignment at hand.
Yours,
Paul Bennett
8. It’s Not Essential
It’s worth using “it’s not essential” to help you explore other options as well.
Generally, you can use this phrase when you’d like to remind someone that they’re wasting time on something irrelevant.
So, it acts as a reminder when messaging clients back. It suggests you don’t want them to focus on the information they brought up to you because you don’t think it matters.
It’s also professional and direct. Therefore, you really can’t go wrong with it as a choice in your emails.
Here’s an example to show you a bit more about using it:
Dear Ms. Thomas,
It’s not essential to think about something like that right now.
I believe it’s in our best interests to focus on the project at hand.
Yours,
Trudy Moore
9. We Can Set That Aside
Finally, we want to go over an incredibly useful, professional synonym in “we can set that aside.”
You can use this when contacting your business partner.
It’s a direct and confident phrase that suggests you’d like to move on from the previous subject of an email.
If you’re able to dictate the flow of a conversation like this, it says a lot about your character. It’s a strong trait to possess, so it’s worth using this when you can.
And you can check out this example to learn a bit more:
Dear Ms. Murray,
We can set that aside for now because it doesn’t matter.
I have some other ideas I’d like to run by you ASAP, though.
Yours,
Barry Moore