Cambridge marks regret + to-infinitive as formal in announcements of unwelcome information, and British Council business-English material uses “We regret to inform you” for an unsuccessful job decision. The phrase is therefore established rather than incorrect, but it should frame—not obscure—the bad news. A useful alternative preserves clarity while adjusting formality and emotional distance.
ReviewedEvidence2 sourcesSectionWriting & Style
Quick answer
“I/We regret to inform you” is a formal way to introduce unwelcome information while signalling that the writer is sorry about the outcome. It can suit rejection, cancellation, or other bad-news messages, but the actual decision should still be stated clearly. Alternatives such as “Unfortunately, …” or a direct factual sentence may be better when a shorter, plainer message fits the context.
Key details
Core Issueframing professional bad news without hiding the actual decision
Message BoundaryBritish Council business material uses “We regret to inform you” to introduce an unsuccessful application decision
Register BoundaryCambridge marks regret + to-infinitive formal in this use
Further guidance
Alternatives
Use “Unfortunately, …” when you want a concise bad-news marker. Use a direct factual sentence when the decision itself should lead. If empathy is important, state the decision clearly first or immediately after the empathy phrase rather than delaying it through vague wording.
Meaning
In this construction, regret signals that the writer is sorry to deliver the information. The verb does not mean the reader did something wrong; it frames the writer’s response to an unwelcome outcome.
Reader Check
Check that the recipient can identify the decision, consequence, date, or next step on the first reading. Polite framing should not make the message ambiguous.
When It Fits
The phrase can fit formal rejections, cancellations, denied requests, or institutional notices where a measured bad-news frame is appropriate. In a brief internal update, it may sound heavier than necessary.
Worked Example
Formal: “We regret to inform you that your application was not selected for the next stage.” Plainer: “Unfortunately, your application was not selected for the next stage.” Both should be followed by any useful next-step or feedback information.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
Episode 08 | You’re Hired↗ (opens in a new tab)British Council · Current British Council business-English material uses “We regret to inform you” when communicating an unsuccessful job decision, supporting the professional bad-news use case.
“Please be advised” and “please be informed” can both introduce a formal notification. “Inform” directly means giving facts, while “advise” also has an informational business/formal sense in addition to its better-known recommendation sense.
Government of Canada writing guidance lists “I am pleased to inform you that …” as a concise opening for routine business letters and contrasts it with more bureaucratic wording. Cambridge supports the meanings of pleased and inform. The phrase is useful when a positive formal notification is intended; it is not a mandatory template for all good-news emails.
“I am writing to …” introduces the reason for a professional email. It remains acceptable in formal contexts, while many messages can be clearer and shorter when the writer moves directly to the request, update, application, or other purpose.
“I hope this email finds you well” is a polite, conventional opening for professional email, but frequent use can feel formulaic. A stronger alternative usually reflects the relationship, recent context, or purpose of the message instead of swapping in another generic greeting.
“Hope you are doing well” is a friendly, common email opening that works in many professional contexts, but repetition can make it feel automatic. Better alternatives usually depend on the relationship and purpose: acknowledge a recent interaction, mention the week or project, express thanks, or move directly to the reason for writing.
“Looking forward to hearing from you” is a common, friendly email closing that signals an expected reply. Alternatives work best when they clarify what kind of response you need—feedback, confirmation, an update, a decision, or a reply by a particular time.
“Thank you in advance” expresses gratitude for an action that has not happened yet. It can be efficient and polite when the requested action is expected, but in optional or burdensome requests it may sound presumptuous because it implies that the recipient will comply.
In business writing, “going forward” commonly means “in the future” or “from now on.” It is understandable, but plain-language guidance often prefers a more specific alternative. “Going forward” is not inherently incorrect, and it also has literal movement uses; the concern in professional prose is often precision and unnecessary jargon.
