10 Good Synonyms For "Looking Forward To" in Formal Emails

“Looking forward to” is a polite and formal way to let someone know you’re excited to meet with them. It’s not the only way to convey that, though. It would help to go through this article to learn another way to say, “looking forward”. These synonyms might be more suitable in some cases.

The preferred versions are “eagerly anticipating,” “keen to,” and “hoping for.” They are all positive phrases that show that you’re really excited to talk to somebody about something or meet with them at a later time. It’s always good to remain positive and respectful in formal emails.

Eagerly Anticipating

“Eagerly anticipating” is one of the best ways to show that you’re looking forward to something happening in a formal email. We use this phrase to show that we cannot wait any longer and we’d like to meet with someone as soon as possible.

“Eagerly anticipating” works best when you’ve already set a time for an event or meeting to take place. We use the phrase to show that we’re almost counting down the days until that event takes place.

Dear sir,
I have booked the meeting slot for seven o’clock tomorrow evening.
I am eagerly anticipating the meeting with you to discuss these matters,
Kind regards,
Darren

Dear ma’am,
Everything has been laid out to make sure that we can start work at that time.
I eagerly anticipate your response to make sure you know what to expect from this.

All the best,
Jonathan

Keen To

“Keen to” is a simpler way to show that you’re looking forward to something. This time, it works better when the situation or meeting has not been planned, but you might want to set up a way to get that sorted.

You can be “keen to” set up a meeting and then “eagerly anticipate” the meeting when it has finally been set in stone. That’s how these two phrases interact with each other.

Dear Mr. Smith,
I’m keen to hear back from you about the situation at hand. Please write to me as soon as you learn more about it.
All the best,
Maria

Dear Mrs. Danforth,
I’m very keen to learn from you. If you could allow me a chance to shadow you for the first few days after starting, I’d be very grateful.
My best,
Peter

Hoping For

“Hoping for” is a great one because it shares your intention with the recipient. When you “hope for” something to happen, it means you expect them to complete a task in a certain way and return the findings to you.

We can use this phrase when we want to show that we are relying on the information someone is providing to us.

It doesn’t put too much pressure on them and allows us to stay friendly and polite. It’s just enough pressure to get results.

Dear Chris,
I’m hoping for a swift response from you regarding this.
I know that you’re the one to refer to in these matters.
Kind regards,
Mr. Jules

Dear Samantha,
I’m hoping for some kind of response about this matter before the end of the day.

I think it’s important that we keep this communication channel open.
Best wishes,
Mrs. Jackson

Expecting To

“Expecting to” is a bit more of a commanding phrase. You should only use this one if you are the boss and you expect the email recipient to do something for you.

Bosses are allowed to “expect” things from their employees. If they have been waiting on information or results for a while, they can use this phrase to show that the employee doesn’t have much time left to provide that thing.

Dear sir,
I’m expecting to hear back from you about this. I’m not happy with the service you provided or the way my family was treated.

Regards,
Wallace Redford

Dear ma’am,
I think it’s time that we discussed the matters raised in the previous meeting.
I’m expecting to hear back from you about these as soon as you get a chance.
All the best,
Tom Walker

Awaiting

“Awaiting” is a simple way to show that you’re waiting for somebody’s response. We can use this to let them know that it’s up to them when they provide some information.

Usually, “awaiting” puts a bit more pressure on the person receiving the email. It shows that you’ve already waited for a long time, and you still haven’t heard the information that you might be entitled to based on the email context.

Dear Phillip,
I’m awaiting your reply to the previous email. I need to know where you stand on these matters.
I have to make sure we’re both on the same page before taking this further.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Smith

Dear Sarah,
I’m awaiting your response to the matter. I think you have all the information you need to address this, but you’re holding out on me.
Let me know what you think,
Patricia

Watching For

“Watching for” is a good one in some cases. It’s not the most common choice because many people prefer to use “hoping for” as a synonymous option. Nevertheless, it still means that you’re looking forward to the response that someone may offer you.

Dear Paul Rutherford,
I’m watching for your response in my inbox. As of yet, I have not received anything from you, and I fear you will not respond.
Please respond as soon as you get the chance,
Craig Christie

Dear Julietta Morrison,
I am watching for your segment on the news. I’m hoping that you’ve covered all the relevant issues for this matter.
Kind regards,
Joanna Gain

Excited To

“Excited to” is a great one in formal situations. However, some people do think it belongs more in informal emails documents. “Excited” is an adjective we use to talk about happy or eager feelings.

Generally, referring to emotions in this way is reserved for informal writing. This is because it isn’t quite as professional as it would be to use things like “anticipating” or “eager to.”

Nevertheless, it’s still a great choice, and many formal emails work well when “excited to” is used. It mainly depends on your audience, so make sure you know who will receive your email before trying this phrase.

Dear Mr. Paulson,
I’m excited to learn from you during my time at your company.
I hope there’s a lot that you can share about the way things operate.
My best,
Tom

Dear Mrs. Young,
I’m excited to meet with you about these matters. I believe I have a few suggestions that will open your mind to new possibilities.
See you soon,
Greta

Always Happy To Hear From You

“Always happy to hear from you” is a little different from some of the other choices. It works best as a closer (you don’t tend to use it in the body of the email). You should use this one when you’re signing off and being respectful to whoever is receiving your email.

Dear Grace,
Please let me know when you get the chance to sign up for this meeting.

I’m always happy to hear from you,
Mr. Richards

Dear Mike,
Please keep me informed about all of these matters. I think it’s worth keeping a channel open to discuss what’s happening here.
Always happy to hear from you,
Ms. Walker

Keep Me Informed

“Keep me informed” also works best as a closer. You should use this one to close an email when you want to be swift and get right to the point at the end. It reminds someone that you should be told what they know based on the context of your email.

We might also find “keep me informed” used in the bulk of the email. This works best when you want somebody to keep a channel open with you that keeps you in the loop.

It’s most common for bosses to use phrases like this as they have more of a reason to be kept in the loop in a lot of workplace situations.

Dear Daniel,
I think it’s time that we had a discussion about the things you’ve learned. I believe you’re withholding information from me.

Keep me informed, as always,
Mr. Warrior

Dear Sandra,
I need you to find a way to make this project easier to complete for our workers.
Keep me informed about what you learn,
Mrs. Smith

Write Back Soon

“Write back soon” is more of a command than most of the other choices. It’s another way to sign off an email, but it acts as an instruction to remind someone that they must write back to you as soon as they think it’s possible.

This phrase tends to work best again when you’re the boss. You can use it as a command to make sure that an employee writes back to you when they have relevant information about something.

Dear Dean,
I want to hear from you regarding the issues you raised in the meeting. I think you’re on to something, and I want to help.
Write back soon,
Mr. Mraz

Dear Martha,
I think you should come to my office when you’ve finished that project. I believe you have some things to get off your chest.

Write back soon,
Mrs. Stuart

Martin Lassen

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.