Another way to say “circle back” in an email might be useful to know when you want to be more professional. “Circle back” is great, but it’s not the most formal alternative. This article will explore what to say instead of “circle back.” These synonyms are the best choices:
- Come back to this
- Follow up
- Revisit
- Check back
- Let you know
- Touch base
- Keep you posted
- Address this later
- Talk about this later
- Ping you
Other ways to say “circle back” are “come back to this,” “follow up,” and “revisit.” These three synonyms are the best ways to show that you are circling back to something. It allows you to revisit something when you believe it’s more appropriate after an email.
1. Come Back to This
“Come back to this” is a great example of how to say “circle back” professionally.” It shows that you want to “come back” to a topic when you believe it’s more relevant to the current email or conversation you’re having with someone.
It lets people know that you’re still thinking about something, even if it isn’t the main topic of conversation right now.
- Dear Kristof,
- I would like to come back to this later. I believe we need to discuss a few other things before mentioning it.
- Kind regards,
- Jackie
- Dear Mavis,
- I want to come back to this because I believe it will be important. Do you have any more information that might help me?
- All the best,
- Martin
2. Follow Up
“Follow up” tells someone via email that you will message them again when you have more information about a different matter. You may “follow up” with something when you learn more about it later, especially if you have something else to discuss with them at present.
Using this phrase allows you to set up future emails with someone. It tells them that you have more information to give, but you don’t know exactly what the information is yet.
- Dear William,
- We should follow up with this some other time. Right now, I don’t have the willpower to keep working through these problems.
- Kind regards,
- Benjamin
- Dear Daniella,
- If you would like to follow up, we can schedule a new meeting. It might be good for us to see what’s what.
- All the best,
- Chrissy
3. Revisit
“Revisit” is a great alternative to use. It uses the “re-” prefix to show that you will visit something again. It means that you will come back to a specific subject when there is more relevant information to discuss.
Until you have more information, it’s best to leave the subject alone. This might be because you don’t have all the relevant facts that might help you discuss things more appropriately in a formal email.
- Dear Pearl,
- Let’s revisit this when we have a better idea of what comes next. We’re not going to be able to correct it right now.
- Kind regards,
- Abigail
- Dear Mathew,
- I want to revisit this when we get a chance. It’s good to know that we’re on the same page, but we’ve got to keep up with this.
- All the best,
- Jason
4. Check Back
“Check back” is a great way to let someone know you might have more information later. It encourages them to “check back” with you rather than you having to email them to let them know of any developments.
This is useful when you have a lot of people to update. If you can’t possibly remember everyone you need to message about an update, it might be better to use this to encourage them to email you.
- Dear Russell,
- I will check back in later. I don’t have all the information right now, so I want to get back to you when I know more.
- Kind regards,
- Frank
- Dear Julia,
- If you don’t mind checking back later, that would be great. I think we will have more information for you by then.
- All the best,
- Oscar
5. Let You Know
“Let you know” shows that you’ll inform someone as soon as you learn more information about a subject matter. You can use it when you want someone to know something you’ve recently learned.
“I’ll let you know what happens” and “I’ll let you know what I learn” are the most common phrases to use alongside “let you know.” These allow you to talk someone through your findings.
- Dear Jacinda,
- I will let you know as soon as I’ve heard more. For now, you should sit on this and wait for further instructions.
- Kind regards,
- Isaac
- Dear Albert,
- I’ll let you know what happens later. I think it’s important for us to keep up this open line of communication.
- All the best,
- David
6. Touch Base
“Touch base” is a great alternative that allows you to email someone when you have information relevant to a situation later. If you do not currently have the information they are asking for, it’s best to “touch base” at a later time.
It’s a little more informal than some of the other phrases. You might not be able to use this one in the most professional business settings.
- Dear Freddie,
- We should touch base again soon. I would like to discuss these matters in a more professional setting.
- Kind regards,
- Delilah
- Dear Stuart,
- Let’s touch base once we have a few more answers. It’s worth making sure we have a similar understanding before we continue.
- All the best,
- Samwell
7. Keep You Posted
“Keep you posted” is a good alternative showing that you’ll come back to something when the time is right. “Keeping someone posted” implies that you’ll email them again once you have more information that might relate to a situation.
For the time being, you might not want to share anything more with them. This might be a choice, or it might be because you don’t have anymore information worth noting.
- Dear Jonathan,
- I will keep you posted. I’m not sure what to expect from the meetings, but you’ll be the first to know when I have more to tell.
- Kind regards,
- Pauline
- Dear Willis,
- Please keep me posted when you have an update. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I think I need to know how these things happen.
- All the best,
- Chris
8. Address This Later
“Address this later” is a somewhat commanding synonym you can use. It shows that you do not want to “address” the issue in an email just yet but will do so “later.” You should use this when you think there are more important matters to attend to.
This phrase works well in formal emails, but it’s best to use it if you’re someone’s superior. You shouldn’t use it when emailing someone who ranks higher than you.
- Dear Scott,
- It would be wise to address this later. I don’t think we have all the facts right now. Please, come back to me when you have more.
- Kind regards,
- Greg
- Dear George,
- Should we try to address this later? You might be able to learn a little bit more about the situation before deciding what to do.
- All the best,
- Adrian
9. Talk About This Later
“Talk about this later” works really well in many contexts. You should use it when you want to discuss matters in more detail at a “later” time because you do not think it’s appropriate or necessary at present.
Again, it works best when you are talking to someone who ranks below you. However, it’s less commanding than “address this later.” You might still get away with it when emailing your boss.
- Dear Sissy,
- I think we should talk about this later. We’re not going to figure out what to do right now. It’s best if we work through this separately.
- Kind regards,
- Martha
- Dear Sheldon,
- You should talk about this later. Right now, we have far more important concerns. Don’t get side-tracked.
- All the best,
- Timothy
10. Ping You
“Ping you” is a fairly informal phrase, but it can still be used in a business email. You should use “ping you” to let someone know you’ll email them again when the time is right or you have more information.
“Ping” relates to the message being sent to their inbox. It’s a common word when talking about messages sent between two parties.
- Dear Dean,
- I was going to ping you as soon as I heard the news, but it didn’t seem relevant after the meeting. Sorry for keeping you waiting.
- Kind regards,
- Brad
- Dear Lily,
- I will ping you once I have all the information. I think it’s best to focus your attention on this for the time being, though.
- All the best,
- Kerry
What Does “Circle Back” in Email Mean?
When you “circle back” to something, it means you’ll revisit it later. It allows you to come back to something that might be important but may not be the most important thing at that moment.
For example, you might be writing an email to someone about a shift change. In the same email, you might want to talk about someone else being too busy to work during the hours provided.
You may want to “circle back” to the original “shift change” issue once you’ve sorted out the new issue that’s come up relating to someone being too busy to work the new hours.