10 Polite Ways to Say “Sorry for Wasting Your Time”

So, are you looking for another way to say “sorry for wasting your time”? Perhaps you want to say it in a formal email but don’t want to sound too insincere.

Well, this article has gathered the best synonyms to help. We’ll show you how to say “sorry for wasting your time” professionally.

• Thank you for your patience
• Thank you for working with me on this
• I appreciate your patience
• I’m sorry for taking up your time
• I apologize if this inconveniences you
• Apologies for any inconvenience
• I did not mean to inconvenience you
• Thank you for taking the time
• I apologize for the delay
• I hope I didn’t keep you long

Keep reading to learn more about these alternatives. We’ve explained all you need to know and included examples to show you how they work.

1. Thank You for Your Patience

You can say “thank you for your patience” to replace “sorry for wasting your time.” It’s much more confident and suggests that you appreciate someone for waiting for you.

Using “thank you” rather than “I’m sorry” is a positive way to write an apology. It shows you carry yourself with more professionalism, which conveys well when you include a phrase like this in an email.

Here is an email example to show you how it works:

Dear Patricia,

Thank you for your patience while I dealt with this matter. I hope you can forgive any delays.

Kind regards,
Danielle

2. Thank You for Working With Me on This

“Thank you for working with me on this” is another great positive synonym. It shows that you appreciate someone for spending time working closely with you to complete something.

Generally, it accepts that someone is quite busy. “Working with me on this” shows you appreciate their efforts, especially if they had to take time out of their busy schedule to help you with something.

You can also refer to this example to help you:

Dear Jenkins,

Thank you for working with me on this. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do, and I’ll see if I can help.

Yours,
Richard

3. I Appreciate Your Patience

Generally, “I appreciate your patience” is a formal synonym that allows you to be polite. It shows that you accept that you might have made someone wait longer than necessary.

Still, as long as you “appreciate” them waiting, you will come across as very respectful and professional. It’s a great phrase to use when you want to apologize without using a word like “sorry.”

You can also check out this email example to help you:

Dear Bobby,

I appreciate your patience while I figured the answers out. I hope I’ve gathered everything you require from me.

All the best,
Edith

4. I’m Sorry for Taking up Your Time

You should say “I’m sorry for taking up your time” instead of “sorry for wasting your time.” They’re interchangeable phrases, but “taking up your time” is a little less negative than “wasting your time.”

It’s good to use a phrase like this when you want to be polite and respectful. It shows you care about someone’s busy schedule. So, in a professional email, “I’m sorry for taking up your time” works really well.

Here is an example to show you how to use it:

Dear Albert,

I have finally gathered the necessary documents that you requested. I’m sorry for taking up your time with this.

All the best,
Josephine

5. I Apologize if This Inconveniences You

“I apologize if this inconveniences you” is a decent option to apologize for something before it’s even happened. In this case, you can apologize before something “inconveniences” the recipient.

You can use it to preempt your apology. It’s a polite and professional way to show that you respect the recipient.

You may want to refer to the following example to help you:

Dear Paul,

I know you’re busy, but I have to ask that you assist me with these projects. I apologize if this inconveniences you.

Kind regards,
Jonathan

6. Apologies for Any Inconvenience

“Apologies for any inconvenience” is a slightly impersonal synonym for “sorry for wasting your time.” You can use it when you’re worried that you might be interrupting someone’s busy schedule.

It’s great to include in a business email when you don’t know the recipient well. The impersonal message is quite useful when you want to be clear and concise without using too many unnecessary words.

You can also refer to this example:

Dear Hayley,

Can you get started on the new system files for me? I’m keen to see what we can do with them. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Yours,
Greta

7. I Did Not Mean to Inconvenience You

It’s worth saying “I did not mean to inconvenience you” because it’s a decent synonym for “sorry for wasting your time.”

You should use it when you want to sound friendly. It’s a fairly polite option that many people use when they feel bad for wasting someone’s time.

Perhaps this example will help you:

Dear Christian,

I did not mean to inconvenience you by keeping you waiting. I’m very sorry if this took longer than you expected.

Yours,
Tyler

8. Thank You for Taking the Time

You can try saying “thank you for taking the time” since it’s a positive synonym for “sorry for wasting your time.”

Again, “thank you” works better than “sorry” in most professional cases because it shows that you appreciate someone taking time out of their schedule to help you.

You may want to refer to this example to help you:

Dear Thomas,

Thank you for taking the time to work with me on this. I appreciate that you’re busy, but I’m still grateful for your assistance.

Best wishes,
Russell

9. I Apologize for the Delay

“I apologize for the delay” is a useful synonym here. You can use it in formal emails when you realize you have made someone wait for longer than you anticipated.

It’s a great way to remain polite while potentially disappointing the recipient. Hopefully, using a phrase like “I apologize for the delay” will prevent them from complaining to you.

You can also refer to this email example:

Dear Rachel,

I apologize for the delay. I know you were waiting on these files. So, I hope the quality makes up for the wait.

All the best,
Sam

10. I Hope I Didn’t Keep You Long

“I hope I didn’t keep you long” is a decent option to replace “sorry for wasting your time.” You can use it when you feel bad for keeping someone busy (especially if you took longer than you wanted to).

It’s a polite phrase, though you might have more luck with it in slightly less formal emails. It’s still good to use in most business cases, but “I hope I didn’t keep you long” isn’t quite as professional as some other options.

Here is an example to show you how it works:

Dear Mitchell,

I hope I didn’t keep you long. I have gathered the necessary information you requested, though.

Kind regards,
Julietta