complimentary close

American  

[kom-pluh-men-tuh-ree klohz, ‐-men-tree] / ˌkɒm pləˈmɛn tə ri ˈkloʊz, ‐ˈmɛn tri /

Also complimentary closing

noun

1. the part of a letter that by convention immediately precedes the signature, as “Very truly yours,” “Cordially,” or “Sincerely yours.”

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Etymology

Origin of complimentary close

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Include a polite closing line, use a professional complimentary close, and type your full name.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

The complimentary close follows the body of the letter, about two or three spaces below it.

From How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters) A Complete Guide to Correct Business and Personal Correspondence by Crowther, Mary Owens

In these seven letters are given the body of the letter, with the salutation and the complimentary close.

From How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters) A Complete Guide to Correct Business and Personal Correspondence by Crowther, Mary Owens

Our choice of a complimentary close, like that of a salutation, depends upon the relations existing between us and those to whom we are writing.

From Composition-Rhetoric by Brooks, Stratton D.

The signature properly belongs below and a little to the right of the complimentary close.

From Composition-Rhetoric by Brooks, Stratton D.