So, you want to know how to say “please accept my apologies” in an email.
However, are you a little worried the phrase itself isn’t particularly professional or polite?
Well, you’ve come to the right place if you need more information.
This article will teach you how to apologize in a business email when a mistake has been made.
Is It Professional to Say “Please Accept My Apologies”?
It is professional to say “please accept my apologies.”
The phrase is polite and sincere. So, it works really well when you’d like to offer someone your sincerest apologies when they’ve come to you with a complaint.
You should refer to this email sample to learn how to say “please accept my apologies” in a sentence:
Dear Mr. Coupler,
Please accept my apologies for this clear mistake.
I’ll do what I can to fix it and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
All the best,
Sam Whitehead
Pros
- It’s professional.
- It’s a polite and sincere way to apologize for something.
Cons
- It’s fairly repetitive.
- You usually have to specify further about what you’re apologizing for.
Of course, “please accept my apologies” is a great phrase to use formally. But that doesn’t mean it’s your only option! So, it’s time to explore alternatives.
Keep reading to learn how to say “please accept my apologies” professionally. We’ve touched on the best synonyms to show you different ways to apologize sincerely in the workplace.
What to Say Instead of “Please Accept My Apologies”
- Please allow me to say sorry
- Please accept my sincerest apologies
- I apologize for any inconvenience caused
- I offer my deepest apologies
- I’m truly sorry
- I humbly apologize
- I apologize for any disruption this may have caused
- Please forgive any unintended issues
- I take full responsibility and offer my apologies
- I hope this didn’t cause too much frustration
1. Please Allow Me to Say Sorry
Let’s start with “please allow me to say sorry.” This is a great formal replacement to “please accept my apologies.”
It works well when apologizing to your employer. It’s a humble and honest way to let them know that you made a genuine mistake.
More often than not, your employer should be able to forgive you. After all, this is an honest way of owning up to your mistakes and letting them know that you’ll do better in the future.
You can also review this email sample:
Dear Mr. Keating,
Please allow me to say sorry for this oversight.
I made a genuine mistake, and I’ll be sure to remedy it before finalizing the product.
Best regards,
Dan Ribbing
2. Please Accept My Sincerest Apologies
Next, we recommend using “please accept my sincerest apologies.” Honestly, it doesn’t get more professional and respectful than this.
Including “sincerest apologies” is formal and genuine. So, it’s a great way to prove to the recipient that you mean what you’re saying.
Try using it when replying to a client. If you’ve left it quite a while before sending them an email, you should apologize for the delay.
This phrase is going to be one of the more effective ways to tell them you’re sorry.
Here’s a great sample email to show you more about it:
Dear Miss Adams,
Please accept my sincerest apologies for the delayed response.
I have since found the answer you were looking for, though.
Yours,
Melissa Smudge
3. I Apologize for Any Inconvenience Caused
If you’re still wondering how to apologize to someone, you can’t go wrong with “I apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
It’s formal and appropriate in your business emails. So, you can use it when answering a customer complaint.
Generally, it works best in a message responding to a customer. It’s a great way to let them know you or your company is doing everything you can to fix their issues.
If you’re still unsure, check out the following example:
Dear Ms. Fitzgerald,
Of course, I will do everything in my power to fix this issue immediately.
I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
All the best,
Rosie Leftover
4. I Offer My Deepest Apologies
You can use “I offer my deepest apologies” as another way to say “please accept my apologies.”
Using a term like “deepest” lets someone know you’re genuinely sorry for something you said or did.
It’s formal and polite. You’ll often find that the recipient is more than happy to receive a message like this in an email.
Try it when apologizing to a business partner.
For instance, you might have to bring a meeting forward. It shows you don’t mean to mess around their schedule, but you have no other option.
Perhaps this email example will also help you to understand it:
Dear Miss Williams,
I offer my deepest apologies for the rush.
However, will you be able to attend the meeting at 3 tomorrow instead of 6?
Yours,
Adrian Mundweiler
5. I’m Truly Sorry
It’s also good to use “I’m truly sorry” as a more direct and honest apology. It’s polite and sincere, which goes a long way when writing formal emails.
You can use it when you want to apologize to your boss.
Generally, your boss will be happy to hear something like this. After all, it shows you truly regret your actions and hope they don’t blame you for whatever the mistake is.
Also, we recommend reviewing this example:
Dear Mr. Clarkson,
I’m truly sorry for the short notice I gave you before I took time off.
I hope we can work through something as we move forward.
All the best,
Milo Stannard
6. I Humbly Apologize
Feel free to include “I humbly apologize” when letting someone know how bad you feel for a mistake.
For instance, you can use it when sending a late response. It’s apologetic and genuine, which goes a long way in most business senses.
You can generally use this when apologizing to customers. It’s useful because it shows that you regret your actions or the lateness of a response, especially if they need your help.
Customers should be happy to receive this. While it won’t make up for your mistake, it’s still honest and polite, which goes a long way.
Here’s a great email sample to show you more about how it works:
Dear Ms. Parkinson,
I humbly apologize for the late response.
Of course, it was never my intention to keep you waiting on this.
All the best,
Maria Jenkins
7. I Apologize for Any Disruption This May Have Caused
For something a little different, you can write “I apologize for any disruption this may have caused.”
It’s a genuine and formal way to let someone know you regret your mistakes.
For the most part, it works well when apologizing to clients. After all, it shows that you own your mistake and hope it wasn’t too much of an inconvenience for them.
Feel free to review this example if you’re still unsure:
Dear Miss Whitehead,
Please forgive me for making you wait this long for a response.
I apologize for any disruption this may have caused.
Best regards,
Aimee Blanket
8. Please Forgive Any Unintended Issues
We also think it’s worth saying “please forgive any unintended issues.”
This works well when writing a formal apology. You can use it when writing an email to a client who might have experienced a mistake you made.
Generally, it’s direct and sincere. So, clients will be quite happy to receive it, as it shows that you’re owning up to any errors you might have made.
Also, check out the following email sample:
Dear Mr. Tucker,
Please forgive any unintended issues that came from my oversight.
I’ll be sure to correct the mistake and move forward as soon as possible.
All the best,
Joseph Sutton
9. I Take Full Responsibility and Offer My Apologies
It’s good to take responsibility when you make mistakes. It shows growth and willingness to admit when you’re wrong.
That’s where “I take full responsibility and offer my apologies” comes in.
It’s considered polite and respectful to say something like this in an email. After all, it shows that you’ve noticed an error and you’d like to remedy the situation.
Use it when apologizing to your boss. It’s an effective way to show them that you’re sorry and are trying to do better.
Here’s a great example to show you more about it:
Dear Ms. Greene,
I take full responsibility and offer my apologies for the part I played.
Please don’t take it out on the rest of my team.
Kind regards,
Max Branning
10. I Hope This Didn’t Cause Too Much Frustration
Finally, it’s worth using “I hope this doesn’t cause too much frustration.”
It’s a way to say “please accept my apologies” without directly apologizing. It’s formal and respectful and shows that you hope something doesn’t hurt the recipient too much.
Referencing their “frustration” is a great way to make things more personal and sincere.
If you’re still unsure, you can review this example:
Dear Michael,
I hope this didn’t cause too much frustration.
I’ll do my best to make up for the mistake as we move forward with our project.
All the best,
Zoe Jones