“Well received” in Email Writing — All You Need to Know

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People send and receive emails all the time, which means that email writing has become a staple skill in the business world.

Upon receiving emails, we get prompted to respond by acknowledging email receipt – a mundane yet crucial business etiquette.

In fact, the expression “well received” is one of the most commonly used responses in business correspondence.

But, it is also one of the most mistakenly used, catch-all phrases to date. So, this post aims to clear out the confusion about “well received” as well as “well-received,” its hyphenated version.

Let’s get right into it.

 

What does the phrase “well received” mean?

“Well received” is used to suggest that something is appreciated, such as information and attachments sent via email among others. “Well received” does not come with a hyphen when the noun comes before it. However, we need to use the hyphenated form “well-received” when the noun comes afterward.

 

“Well received” in email writing in ample detail

In practice, the recommended email response time is within one to two days, if not earlier; following this rule of thumb is a key driving force among businesses.

This is one of the reasons why email writing skills and etiquette are largely sought by employers around the world.

One basic email writing skill that every person in the business world should bear in mind is acknowledging messages or information receipts.

That said, the expression “well received” as well as other related ones have become even more frequently used these days.

So, what does it exactly mean, and in what kind of context is it suitable? Is it even used the same way as its hyphenated version “well-received”?

Let us find out below. 

 

Suitability of “well received” in email writing

When an email is said to be “well received,” it commonly suggests that a piece of good news is contained in the email, hence the positive connotation.

However, many people appear to be baffled by the grammatically correct usage of this expression, especially in business correspondence.

Because “well received” has somehow become an automatic or formulaic email response, many people have resorted to mindlessly using this expression.

For regular acknowledgments, the expression “well received” may not be very suitable as it evokes a certain feeling that something is “pleasant.”

Outside email writing, we use “well received” to suggest that a piece of work or person, for instance, is appreciated or celebrated.

Example:

 

Because of this positive connotation, “well received” should be used appropriately in email writing scenarios rather than as a generic response.

The rule of thumb is to use “well received” when a piece of positive news is sent through emails, such as updates and requests.

 

Responses to “well received”

When someone writes back with “well received,” we can either take one more step or stop the email exchange right there.

If we wish to take action, we can simply respond with a simple “you’re welcome” or “welcome” to make it shorter.

In case we want to take on a more personal approach, we could also make use of either “don’t mention it” or “my pleasure.”

In other words, the formality level of our response depends on our level of relationship with the other person behind the email.

 

“Well received” vs. “well-received”

No matter whether in email writing or other contexts, the usage of “well received” or “well-received” is dependent on sentence structure.

“Well received” is used as an adjective in postpositive and predicative positions, while “well-received” is meanwhile used in the prepositive position.

In simpler terms, postpositive and predicative adjectives are used after nouns, while prepositive adjectives are used before nouns.

For example, “well received” or the two-word version, should be the choice in the following examples because the noun comes before it:

Examples:

 
Whereas, the hyphenated version “well-received” should be the choice in the next examples because of where the nouns are located:

Examples:

 

Alternatives to “well received” in email writing

When we send emails, we often start our emails formally, such as by using different ways to say “I hope this email finds you well” in the introduction.

However, if we are the recipient, we might just be prompted to say either “well received” or “well received with thanks.”

While the latter expression “well received with thanks” is conveniently used by many people these days, it somehow evokes an unlikely feeling.

This is brought about by the redundant implication of using “well received” and “thanks” together, which could be a lot to take in.

This also means that while “well received with thanks” is not necessarily grammatically wrong, it is neither grammatically nor stylistically perfect.

The recommended response for a regular email confirmation is either “received with thanks” or “noted with thanks” and not “well received with thanks.”

If these expressions do not convey what you really intend, here are more alternatives to “well received” in email writing that you can choose from:

 

Thank you for your email

“Thank you for your email” is probably the safest response when it comes to acknowledging email receipt.

It is clear, concise, and has little to no chance of misleading readers. It is also suitable in any context, no matter whether formal or casual.

For more similar expressions, feel free to read our previous post on alternatives and synonyms for “Thank you for your email” which talks about the said expression in-depth.

Example:

 

Your email is noted with thanks

In case you are looking for a slightly more formal construction, you may also go with “Your email is noted with thanks.”

This expression gives off a more formal tone particularly because of its passive voice construction.

Meanwhile, the relatively casual tone of the phrase “with thanks” also pulls that modesty back, thereby neutralizing the implication of the message.

Example:

 

Your email is well noted

Another great, formal alternative to “well received” is “Your email is well noted,” which is a widely-used response too.

To say that an email is “well noted” means that it is “clearly understood” rather than just “received” or “acknowledged.”

This expression is appropriate when instructions are given, such as when responding to an academic interview invitation like in the next example:

Example:

 

Your email is duly noted

“Your email is duly noted” is also another formal alternative to “well received.” It also evokes an even more formal tone than “well noted” in the previous subsection.

This one is suitable when acknowledging issues or concerns about policies or processes that have been adjusted or changed for some reason.

Example:

 

This is noted with thanks

If we want to be more concise and context-bound, “This is noted with thanks” would be a nice choice when acknowledging email receipt.

The use of the demonstrative pronoun “this” instead of “your email” particularly does the reference-pointing a lot easier.

“This is noted with thanks” works well with people whom we constantly exchange emails with, either at work or at school.

Example:

 

This is to acknowledge receipt of your email

Sometimes, we may have to deal with disappointed people through emails, especially when we belong to the customer service department.

But, if we know how to respond to an unhappy customer email well, we could easily get rid of those uncomfortable feelings in a heartbeat.

One good way of doing this is to use the professional undertone of “This is to acknowledge receipt of your email,” just like in the next example.

 

Example:

 

Confirming email receipt

For simple email confirmations with people whom we constantly exchange emails with, short messages work perfectly fine

In cases like this, “Confirming email receipt” would suffice. Feel free to use this response to most with your immediate colleagues.

 

Example:

 

The documents are safely received

“The documents are safely received” meanwhile works when the sender expresses worries about whether the sent files are readable or can be opened.

To make this message more concise, “Documents safely received” could also be used to make communication more convenient.

Feel free to add some initial feedback about the content of the documents to further assure the sender that you were indeed able to open whatever file was sent.

 

Example:

 

Acknowledging receipt of your email

“Acknowledging receipt of your email” is also a great confirmation response to use. It is less formal than “I am acknowledging the receipt of your email,” which is slightly too much.

This response is suitable for problem-resolution discussions because of its respectful connotative meaning.

 

Got this (informal)

With well-established professional relationships, replying with short, casual messages is even more appreciated because of its time-saving purpose.

That said, don’t be afraid to use the friendly and concise “Got this” email response with the closest of your colleagues and classmates.

If you think this is also too informal and a bit inappropriate, feel free to add “Thank you very much,” Thank you,” or “Thanks” afterward.

 

Example:

 

Synonyms for “well received” in email writing

In case you are still wondering about other possible ways to say “well received,” we have also listed some synonyms for this phrase.

 

Well noted

“Well noted” is perhaps the closest synonym, not to mention the best, for “well received” that you can freely use in email writing.

Make sure, though, to really take note of whatever is in the email when choosing “well noted” in your response.

If this doesn’t work, you may also want to check out other ways to say “well noted” in business correspondence for more flexibility.

Here’s how you can use the phrase in a sentence:

 

Example:

 

Duly noted

“Duly noted” suggests the meaning of “carefully and properly understood.” This works best with instructions and reminders done through email.

Make sure that you have really understood what the other person wants or implies when using this expression. Otherwise, you should respond with a question or clarification.

Example:

 

Taken into consideration

In case there is a need to hold off a decision, “taken into consideration” conveys a more precise thought than “well received.”

Use this phrase when requests are being made, and you still need to consult with another person before giving approval.

Example:

 

Reviewed with approval

Meanwhile, if you are in the position to approve a report or even a request, “reviewed with approval” would be more fitting.

Make sure to carefully review whatever is being asked or consulted before using this expression as a response.

Example:

 

Well acknowledged

For issues and concerns communicated through email, you may have to go with “well acknowledged” in your reply.

As “acknowledged” simply means “noticed” or “recognized,” this synonym is also a great neutral way of saying “well received.”

 

Example:

 

Received with thanks

Last but not least, “received with thanks” is also one better way of saying “well received” because it gets rid of redundancy.

Feel free to use this expression when confirming receipt of financial documents such as invoices, billing statements, or even payments.

Example:

 

Frequently Asked Questions on “‘Well received’ in Email Writing”

 

How do you politely acknowledge an email?

Polite acknowledgments through email can be done by using more grammatically complete statements such as “This is to confirm receipt of your email” or “This is to acknowledge receipt of your email.”

 

How do we use “well received” in a sentence?

“Well received” is usually used after a linking verb in a sentence or as a predicative adjective, such as in “His new book is well received by many.” At other times, it is also used as a postpositive adjective such as in “a book well received.”

 

Should it be “well received” or “received well”?

When the goal is to simply say “I have received something,” neither “well received” nor “received well” is appropriate. The more suggested response would be “received with thanks” or “confirming receipt.”