There is a specific vocabulary that lives almost exclusively in professional email. You know it when you read it. "Circling back." "Looping you in." "As per my previous email." "Hope this helps."
These phrases are not wrong, exactly. But they carry a lot of baggage. Some signal passive aggression without the writer realizing it. Some are filler that adds length and removes clarity. Some have been used so many times they have stopped meaning anything.
Here are 25 corporate email phrases that are worth cutting — and plain replacements that do the same job better.
Phrases That Signal Passive Aggression
1. "Per my last email…"
The problem: Everyone reads this as "you should have already seen this." Even when you have a completely legitimate reason to reference a previous message, this phrase puts the recipient on the defensive immediately.
Instead: Quote or summarize the specific thing you're referencing. "In my Tuesday message I mentioned the deadline is Friday — does that still work on your end?" No subtext, same information.
2. "As I previously mentioned…"
The problem: Same issue as above. Implies the recipient wasn't paying attention.
Instead: "Just to confirm, [the thing]." Or simply re-state it without attribution: "The budget ceiling for this project is $15K."
3. "Going forward…"
The problem: Almost always used after something went wrong, as a way of saying "don't do this again" without saying it directly. The recipient hears a reprimand.
Instead: If there's a process change, describe it neutrally: "From now on, please send invoices directly to accounting rather than to me." If you're actually addressing a problem, address it directly.
4. "Just to be clear…"
The problem: Implies the other person was unclear, or that you're explaining something they should already understand.
Instead: Be clear without announcing it. Restate the thing plainly and move on.
5. "As you may recall…"
The problem: Another memory test. Implies the recipient forgot something they were supposed to remember.
Instead: Re-state the context briefly and without condescension: "When we spoke in March, we agreed to revisit pricing after Q1 results came in."
Filler Phrases That Add Nothing
6. "Hope this helps!"
The problem: It's almost always added to the end of an answer to a question. Of course you hope it helps — you just answered their question. The phrase adds no information and reads as reflexive padding.
Instead: End on the last useful sentence. If you genuinely want to signal openness, add: "Let me know if you'd like more detail on any of this."
7. "Please do not hesitate to reach out."
The problem: Stiff, formal, and meaningless. Everyone "does not hesitate to reach out" when they have a question — you don't need to grant them permission.
Instead: "Happy to answer any questions" or "Feel free to reply if anything's unclear."
8. "I wanted to reach out to…"
The problem: The email is the reaching out. Stating your intention to do the thing you're currently doing adds a sentence to every email without adding content.
Instead: Start with the actual reason for the email.
9. "I just wanted to touch base…"
The problem: "Touch base" is vague and slightly sporty. Combined with "just" (which minimizes the email before it has started), the result is an email that sounds apologetic about its own existence.
Instead: Say what you're actually checking on. "I wanted to confirm we're on track for the Thursday handoff" is more useful and more direct.
10. "Friendly reminder…"
The problem: The word "friendly" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, and everyone knows it. A "friendly reminder" is still a reminder — and often arrives because someone has already missed a deadline or not responded.
Instead: Just send the reminder. "The proposal is due Friday — let me know if you need anything from my end to meet that." No need to pre-qualify the tone.
11. "As per usual…"
The problem: This phrase often comes across as dismissive or sarcastic, even when that's not the intent.
Instead: Say what is usual. "The invoices go to Alex in accounting, same process as last month."
12. "I'll let you know."
The problem: When used as a close, this commits to nothing and leaves the timeline entirely open.
Instead: Give a specific timeline. "I'll follow up by Wednesday with a decision" or "I'll send the updated file once I've heard back from legal."
Vague Corporate Speak
13. "Circle back"
The problem: What does circling back mean, exactly? When? Who initiates? What are we circling back about?
Instead: "I'll follow up Friday afternoon" or "Can we schedule 20 minutes next week to finalize this?"
14. "Loop you in"
The problem: Not wrong, but overused. "Looping in" someone without context leaves them confused about why they're being added to a thread.
Instead: When adding someone to a thread, explain why: "Adding Maya here — she handles the vendor contracts and can answer your question directly."
15. "Take this offline"
The problem: In practice this usually means "let's not have this conversation here," which is occasionally legitimate but often just delay.
Instead: Suggest the actual alternative. "This probably needs a call — are you free Thursday afternoon?"
16. "Synergy" or "leverage synergies"
The problem: These words almost never mean anything concrete in email. They signal that someone has been in a lot of business meetings without communicating specific value.
Instead: Describe what you actually mean. "If we share the distribution list, both teams save time on outreach."
17. "Move the needle"
The problem: Vague. On what metric, and in which direction?
Instead: Be specific about what outcome you're working toward. "This would increase qualified leads by roughly 15% based on the pilot data."
18. "Low-hanging fruit"
The problem: Overused to the point of parody. Also implies other priorities are the harder fruit, which introduces a frame that may not be useful.
Instead: "The quickest win here would be [specific thing]."
19. "At the end of the day…"
The problem: Usually follows a long explanation and signals a conclusion. But it adds three words to whatever the actual conclusion is.
Instead: Just make the point. Remove the phrase and start the sentence with the conclusion.
Phrases That Are Just Awkward
20. "Please find attached…"
The problem: "Please find" is legalese from an era when people attached physical documents to letters. It is strange in email.
Instead: "I've attached the report" or "The proposal is attached." State what the file is.
21. "As per my understanding…"
The problem: Signals uncertainty in a way that undermines the rest of the sentence, without adding useful qualification.
Instead: Either state what you understand directly, or acknowledge the specific uncertainty: "I may be missing some context — my understanding was that the launch date was April 3."
22. "Kindly…"
The problem: "Kindly review," "kindly respond," "kindly note." The word sounds formal and slightly imperious. In some regions it's common; in others it reads as stiff.
Instead: "Please review" or "Could you take a look at this by Thursday?" — direct and polite without the formality.
23. "I hope this email finds you well."
The problem: The most recognizable filler opener in professional email. No one reads it as genuine warmth anymore. We've written a full guide to alternatives if you want options.
Instead: Start with the reason for the email, or with a specific and real observation if you genuinely want to open with warmth.
24. "Let's get our ducks in a row."
The problem: Everyone understands it, but mixing a duck idiom into a professional email sounds like a phrase your grandfather used.
Instead: "Before we go further, I want to make sure we've got the key decisions locked down." Same meaning, no waterfowl.
25. "With all due respect…"
The problem: In email, this phrase functions the same way "no offense but" does in speech — it's a preamble to something that is, in fact, likely to offend. The recipient braces for impact.
Instead: If you disagree, say so directly and professionally. "I see this differently — here's my concern." Directness is less harmful than pre-announced directness.
Why These Phrases Persist
Corporate email phrases stick around because they reduce decisions. If you always write "hope this helps" at the end of a helpful email, you never have to think about how to close. If you always write "per my last email" when referencing a previous message, you never have to think about tone.
The problem is that reducing decisions in this way doesn't reduce effort for the person reading the email. They still have to parse what you mean, read between the lines for subtext, and decide whether "friendly reminder" means you're annoyed.
AI email tools are particularly prone to this. They learn from the average professional email — which is full of these phrases — and reproduce them at scale. The output sounds like email. It is not particularly good email.
ForthWrite is built to draft in your actual voice, which means the phrases it reaches for are the ones you actually use. Try building your voice profile and see what your drafts look like without the corporate filler.