“I wish you the best” is a phrase you can use when you know someone is moving on. Whether related to a job, a relationship, or a life decision, you can wish them “the best” to hope all goes well.
However, there are better ways to go about this!
Here’s what to say instead of “I wish you the best”:
- All the best
- I hope you have a great life
- I wish you well
- Have fun
- Good luck with whatever comes next
- I will always believe in you
- Have a great life, unless you’ve made other plans
Stay tuned! In the rest of the article, we’ll show you exactly how to use these other ways to say “I wish you the best.” So, keep reading to make sure you pick the right one when you want to tell someone you wish them well.
1. All the Best
We can use “all the best” as a synonym for “I wish you the best” when we are saying goodbye to someone.
It’s not usually the last goodbye, but the implication is that we won’t be seeing the person for a very long time. That’s why it works so well to replace “I wish you the best.”
Moreover, you might find that “all the best” isn’t all that common in speaking. Instead, it’s a more common phrase to write.
Therefore, it’s especially common when signing off an email, text message, or letter to someone who you might not see for a long time.
Here are some examples of how you can use it:
All the best to you and your family. I know you’ll move on to a brighter future.
Even though I won’t be around to see how you get on, I wish you all the best.
All the best goes to you! I know you’ll make the most of your life.
2. I Hope You Have a Great Life
“I hope you have a great life” works when we know we won’t be seeing the person again.
It usually applies when someone is moving on to something much bigger than before (i.e., moving countries or moving on from a relationship).
It almost seems like we could be a little jealous of them with a phrase like this. However, “I hope you have a great life” works really well when you genuinely mean it.
Your delivery of this phrase is what’s most important. You don’t want it to come across as sarcastic because a lot of people will be insulted by the sentiment.
However, if you can show that you really care and want them to succeed in life, it works perfectly.
Here are some examples to show this synonym in action:
I know I won’t see you again, but I hope you have a great life.
I hope you have a great life when you move to Argentina!
I hope you have a great life! Of everyone I know, you deserve it the most.
3. I Wish You Well
If you’re looking for another way to say “I wish you the best,” the phrase “I wish you well” is a great way to show that we want people to succeed.
In this alternative, “well” works to show that we hope they get what they want out of life. We do not wish them ill health or poor tidings, which is ideal for a pleasant and polite goodbye.
Typically, “I wish you well” is more formal than some of the other phrases on this list. That makes it a great choice when you’re not too familiar with the person you’re saying goodbye to.
While you might think it’s a bit strange to say goodbye to someone you don’t know, think about your work colleagues. When one of them moves on to a new job, you’ll probably never see them again. However, you can still “wish them well” to say goodbye, even if you don’t know them.
Here are some examples of it in action:
I wish you well with whatever comes next for you.
Even though you won’t be around the office anymore, I do wish you well.
I wish you well, and I hope you can come back to visit every now and then!
4. Have Fun
“Have fun” is a simple and informal phrase we can use as another way to say “I wish you the best.”
Usually, we say this when we know exactly what they’re going to do, and it sounds like it could be “fun.” If you don’t know what they’ll be doing, you shouldn’t use this phrase.
For example, if someone is moving to a job that will be better suited to their talents, they may have “fun” with it.
Likewise, if they’re moving to a different country to explore the culture, they might have “fun.”
However, if they’ve got a new medical issue that’s forced them to quit their job, they will not have “fun” with whatever comes next.
In summary, that’s why it’s important to know the situation before using this synonym.
Here are a few examples to help you:
Have fun with whatever you get up to in Thailand!
I hope you have fun! You’ll be missed here.
Have fun! You must come back to see us!
5. Good Luck With Whatever Comes Next
“Good luck with whatever comes next” is a great way to say goodbye to someone when you don’t know what they’re getting up to.
This makes it effective when talking to coworkers with who you’re not too familiar.
If you don’t know what new job they’ve acquired, we could say “whatever comes next.” It shows that we care enough to wish them well, but we don’t know enough about their situation to give any more information about it.
These examples will show you how to use this alternative:
Good luck with whatever comes next for you. You’ve always been a good friend.
Good luck with whatever comes next! Not that you’ll need it.
Good luck with whatever comes next. I wish I could be in your shoes.
6. I Will Always Believe In You
“I will always believe in you” is an incredibly kind and loving way to say goodbye to someone.
It mostly applies to family or close friends since we need to have that “belief” in place to begin with. Still, it’s a valid option if you want to use it.
When you know that someone close to you is moving on, it might help to use this phrase to show how much you care. It might cause a few tears to be shed, but it’ll be worth it to show them just how much they mean to you.
In summary, it’s a better alternative to use than “I wish you the best” if you are close to the person who is leaving.
Lastly, check out these examples to see how it works:
Good luck out there. I will always believe in you, and I know you’ll do well.
I will always believe in you. You’re going to be missed here.
I will always believe in you. Please stay in touch!
7. Have a Great Life, Unless You’ve Made Other Plans
“Have a great life, unless you’ve made other plans” is a humorous option.
It’s not common, but we included it because it’s a fun phrase we can use.
In general, it mostly works when you’re saying goodbye to a friend who you know can take a joke.
The idea is that it catches your friend off guard. After all, why would someone make plans to not have a great life? That’s where the humor comes from, and that’s why it’s a fun phrase to use to say goodbye.
These examples will shed some light on it:
Have a great life, unless you’ve made other plans, of course.
Well, I hope you have a great life unless you’ve made other plans!
Have a great life, unless you’ve made other plans. I know what you’re like!
What Does “I Wish You the Best” Mean?
Now that we’ve seen everything about the alternatives, it’s time to look more at the original meaning.
“I wish you the best” means that we hope everything goes well for someone in the future. We use it mainly when people are ready to move on to bigger or better things, and we want to wish them good luck in all that they go on to do.
It can be a somewhat sour phrase. It’s especially difficult to use a phrase like this when you were particularly close to the person you’re speaking to.
The implication of this phrase is that you more than likely will not see them again, which can be a bitter pill to swallow.
However, sometimes, we use it just to make the person understand that we care. It’s a great way to show them that we wish them all the luck in the world, and we hope things go perfectly for them.
So, in general, you should use this phrase as a goodbye to people you care about.
Is It Correct to Say “Wishing You All the Best”?
“Wishing you all the best” is another correct phrase.
We typically don’t use it when we say goodbye to someone for the last time.
Instead, it works when we haven’t seen someone for a while, but we know there will be more chances to meet them again.
If the person is moving away for goods, you would be better off using “I wish you the best,” or “I wish you all the best.”
“Wishing you all the best” is most effective when talking to friends or family who has moved away. While we might not see them as often as before, we still get chances to see them (either by visits or by video calls).
Here’s an example of how to use this phrase in a well-wishing message:
Person 1: We’re wishing you all the best, son!
Person 2: Thanks, dad.
You may also like:
8 Better Ways To Say “All The Best For Your Future”
Is It “Best Wishes To You” or “Best Wishes For You”?
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
