Creating an inconvenience for someone is never ideal. It’s made especially difficult in professional situations, and it would help to know the best ways to apologize for being a nuisance. This article will explore some of the best alternatives to “I’m sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.
The preferred alternatives are “I apologize for the inconvenience,” “please accept my sincerest apologies,” and “I’m sorry to disturb you.” These phrases are great in formal emails because they show that you don’t mean to upset someone or distract them from their busy work.
1. I Apologize For The Inconvenience
“I apologize for the inconvenience” is one of the best ways to show that you have inconvenienced someone. If you are genuinely sorry about it, this is a great phrase to use in your formal emails.
- Dear Thomas,
- I apologize for the inconvenience. I hope you forgive me once I’ve sorted out the rest of this.
- All the best,
- Lewis
- Hey Evie,
- I apologize for the inconvenience. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.
- Kind regards,
- Michael
- Dear Melissa,
- I apologize for the inconvenience. I’m sure there are a few things we can do now to make sure it all goes smoothly.
- Best wishes,
- Ben
2. Please Accept My Sincerest Apologies
“Please accept my sincerest apologies” is a great formal synonym. You can use this to show that you regret having to disturb someone via email. If you have something important to say, you should start with this phrase.
- Dear Mr. Catford
- Please accept my sincerest apologies. It was not my intention to mess you around in this way.
- All the best,
- George
- Hey Martin,
- Please accept my sincerest apologies. I’ll be sure to contact my manager to determine the next step.
- Kind regards,
- Sandra
- Dear Maria,
- Please accept my sincerest apologies. I did not realize this would be as complicated as it has turned out.
- Best wishes,
- Abbie
3. I’m Sorry To Disturb You
“I’m sorry to disturb you” is a simple alternative you can use. It works well because it shows that you’ve thought about talking to other people, but you don’t think anyone else will be able to help you as the recipient can.
- Dear Sue,
- I’m sorry to disturb you. I have a few questions that I need to run by you. Is that okay?
- All the best,
- Craig
- Hey Duncan,
- I’m sorry to disturb you, and I know you’re busy. I have to discuss some urgent matters with you.
- Kind regards,
- Phillip
- Dear Ryan,
- I’m sorry to disturb you. I won’t let it happen again, but I must talk to you about something. It cannot wait.
- Best wishes,
- Mr. Browne
4. I Hope I’ve Not Caught You At A Bad Time
“I hope I’ve not caught you at a bad time” is a great phrase you can use in an email. It also works well when you’re speaking to someone because it shows that you recognize they are busy, but you still have something important to talk to them about.
- Dear sir,
- I hope I’ve not caught you at a bad time. I believe there are some things that I need to talk to you about.
- All the best,
- Scott
- Hey Piper,
- I hope I’ve not caught you at a bad time because the staff needs to have a meeting about what the new regulations entail.
- Kind regards,
- Billy
- Dear Willis,
- I hope I’ve not caught you at a bad time. Would you be able to set up a suitable time for a meeting?
- Best wishes,
- Jessica
5. I Understand Your Frustration
“I understand your frustration” allows you to empathize with the recipient. It shows that a disturbance or inconvenience has occurred, and you’re doing everything you can to correct it.
- Dear David,
- I understand your frustration. I’ll see what I can do for you as soon as I learn what comes next.
- All the best,
- Sara
- Hey Lauren,
- I understand your frustration with this matter. I’m doing everything possible to make it as convenient and simple as possible.
- Kind regards,
- Mathew
- Dear Abdul,
- I understand your frustration, and I’m doing my best. I’ll let you know when I can figure out my next move.
- Best wishes,
- Nuria
6. I Can See How Important This Is And Will Get Right On It
“I can see how important this is” shows that you recognize the value and importance of an email. “I will get right on it” shows that you will try to delay no further because it could lead to more inconveniences.
- Dear Miss Sorenson,
- I can see how important this is and will get right on it. I don’t want to keep you waiting for much longer.
- All the best,
- Katie
- Hey Mr. Canada,
- I can see how important this is and will get right on it. I can only apologize for how long it has taken so far.
- Kind regards,
- Sam
- Dear Audrey,
- I can see how important this is and will get right on it. I’ll be sure to contact you as soon as anything changes.
- Best wishes,
- Jonathan
7. Let Me Know If There’s Anything Else I Can Do
“Let me know if there’s anything else I can do” is a great alternative you can use here. It shows that you care enough about the recipient to do whatever you can to stop them from worrying about the inconvenience.
- Dear Tom,
- Let me know if there’s anything else I can do. I want to make this transition as easy as I can for you.
- All the best,
- Tara
- Hey Joshua,
- Let me know if there’s anything else I can do. Could you please provide some information to help me, though?
- Kind regards,
- Maisie
- Dear Jane,
- Let me know if there’s anything else I can do. I’m sure we can come to some arrangement with this matter.
- Best wishes,
- Miss Pickard
8. I Hope You Don’t Mind Me Mentioning
“I hope you don’t mind me mentioning” shows that you recognize someone might be busy or have more important things on their mind. You can use it to introduce a new idea or problem to an email without being too forward.
- Dear Sarah,
- I hope you don’t mind me mentioning these issues right now. I appreciate that you’re busy, but they are urgent.
- All the best,
- Hubert
- Hey Hughie,
- I hope you don’t mind me mentioning all of this. I believe it’s vital to fix these problems before they develop.
- Kind regards,
- Mr. Taylor
- Dear Adam,
- I hope you don’t mind me mentioning these things to you. I think you are the best person to handle this situation.
- Best wishes,
- Adrian
9. I Realize This Is Disappointing
“I realize this is disappointing” is an empathetic way to show that you’ve created an inconvenience. It’s a good synonym because it shows that you regret having to do something because you know it will disappoint someone.
- Dear Julietta,
- I realize this is disappointing information, but it’s the best I can do now. I’m sorry about that.
- All the best,
- Joe
- Hey Micky,
- I realize this is disappointing. I’ll try to make things right as we move forward, but I need your cooperation right now.
- Kind regards,
- Mrs. Swansborough
- Dear Alex,
- I realize this is disappointing. I did not intend these things to be as inconvenient as they have.
- Best wishes,
- Mario
10. Thank You For Your Patience
“Thank you for your patience” is a great choice you can use. It’s a great alternative that works well in formal emails to show that you appreciate someone waiting for you to complete something.
- Dear Erik,
- Thank you for your patience. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help you through this.
- All the best,
- Mohammed
- Hey Kammy,
- Thank you for your patience. I appreciate that you’ve been waiting for a while, but everything is said and done now.
- Kind regards,
- Greg
- Dear Miss Worrisome,
- Thank you for your patience. I will make sure a wait this long doesn’t happen again.
- Best wishes,
- Sharon
11. Thanks For Sticking With Me Here
“Thanks for sticking with me here” is a fairly informal alternative. You’ll still be able to use it in formal emails, but you need to make sure the recipient doesn’t mind more informal tones in your writing.
- Dear Paul,
- Thanks for sticking with me here. I finally got the information I needed to determine the next steps.
- All the best,
- Steven
- Hey Patrick,
- Thanks for sticking with me here. If anything else changes, I’ll contact you to discuss it.
- Kind regards,
- Chris
- Dear Nicola,
- Thanks for sticking with me here. I have managed to compile all the most important files for this situation.
- Best wishes,
- Damien
12. I’m Very Sorry For All The Issues
“I’m very sorry for all the issues” shows that you take responsibility for any inconvenience caused. “I’m very sorry” shows that you are the one that messed things up.
- Dear Nathan,
- I’m very sorry for all the issues. I never intended to mess you around as much as I have.
- All the best,
- Nolan
- Hey Talia,
- I’m very sorry for all the issues. It won’t happen again. I’ve sorted most of the errors on my end.
- Kind regards,
- Noelle
- Dear Mr. Smith,
- I’m very sorry for all the issues. You can count on me next time. I’ve corrected all the problems we had.
- Best wishes,
- Lady Winters
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.
