How to Sign a Sympathy Card (Closings and 30 Examples)
How to sign a sympathy card for a coworker, a friend or a family: the right closing line, how much to write above your name, and examples from close to formal.
Signing a sympathy card is mostly about restraint. You need a sentence or two, a quiet closing, and your name. Here’s how to choose each part, with examples.
The three parts
- A short message. I’m so sorry for your loss. That alone is enough.
- A closing. Matched to how well you know them (examples below).
- Your name, in a form they’ll recognise.
Closings, from formal to close
Formal or for someone you don’t know well
- With deepest sympathy
- With sincere condolences
- With heartfelt sympathy
- Respectfully
Warm, for colleagues and acquaintances
- Thinking of you
- With sympathy and warm wishes
- Holding you in my thoughts
- Wishing you peace and comfort
Close, for friends and close colleagues
- With love
- With love and sympathy
- Sending you so much love
- Always here for you
30 examples to copy
For a coworker
- I’m so sorry for your loss. With deepest sympathy, [Name]
- Thinking of you and your family. [Name]
- Please don’t worry about anything here. Thinking of you, [Name]
- I was so sorry to hear the news. With sympathy, [Name]
- Holding you in my thoughts. [Name] (Marketing)
- With heartfelt condolences, [Name]
- So sorry. Take all the time you need. [Name]
- With deepest sympathy from all of us in [team]
For a close colleague or friend 9. I’m here for you, always. With love, [Name] 10. Thinking of you every day. Love, [Name] 11. I’m so sorry. Call me anytime. [Name] 12. Sending you so much love. [Name] 13. Whatever you need. With love, [Name] 14. I’ll always remember [name]. With love, [Name]
For a boss or manager 15. With sincere condolences, [Name] 16. We’ve got everything covered here. Thinking of you, [Name] 17. With deepest sympathy, [Name] and the [team] team
For a family 18. Thinking of you all at this sad time. [Name] 19. With deepest sympathy to you and your family. [Name] 20. Holding your whole family in my thoughts. [Name]
Short 21. Deepest sympathy. [Name] 22. Thinking of you. [Name] 23. So very sorry. [Name] 24. With love. [Name] 25. Condolences. [Name]
When you knew the person who died 26. [Name] was a wonderful person. I’m so sorry. [Your name] 27. I’ll miss [name]. With love, [Your name] 28. Grateful to have known [name]. Thinking of you, [Your name]
For a pet 29. So sorry about [pet’s name]. Thinking of you, [Name] 30. [Pet’s name] was so loved. With love, [Name]
What not to write
- Exclamation marks, emoji, or anything that reads cheerful.
- “Let me know if you need anything” as the whole message. It hands them a task.
- Religious phrases they haven’t used themselves.
- Long paragraphs. In a group card especially, your line sits among many.
Signing a group sympathy card at work
Keep it shorter than you would on a personal card, and add your team if your first name is common. If you don’t know them well, sign your name under the shared line at the top; you don’t have to write a message. More on this in what to write in a sympathy card from the office.
Frequently asked questions
How do you sign a sympathy card? A short message, a quiet closing, your name: “I’m so sorry for your loss. With deepest sympathy, Sam.”
Do you sign a sympathy card with “love”? Only if you’d say “love” to them anyway. Otherwise “With deepest sympathy” or “Thinking of you”.
Should you write your full name in a sympathy card? Yes, if they might not know which Sam you are. Add your team in a work card.
Sign it together
A group sympathy card lets everyone sign from their own device, with no account, and arrives quietly on the day you choose.
More: 40 sympathy messages for a coworker · how to sign a birthday card for a coworker
