Is “Much Appreciation” or “Much Appreciated” Suitable for a Work Email?

When we want to express thanks and gratitude in an email while maintaining professionalism at work, it’s important to use the correct language. So, sometimes people have some confusion over whether to use phrases like “much appreciation” or “much appreciated.”

Both phrases are appropriate to use in a work email. Each is useful in displaying sincerity in a quick and succinct way. Plus, you can use either turn of phrase to describe the feeling about a certain action or behavior done by another person.

Much Appreciation

Saying “much appreciation” in a work email is correct usage. You can put it in the content of the email itself or as a closing statement to your email.

For instances of content, it often takes the place of a noun:

The CEO’s efforts earned him much appreciation since he saved the company thousands of dollars in excess costs.

However, you can use “much appreciation” as a closing statement for the email before your signature:

Much Appreciation,

Janet Smith

Much Appreciated

You can use “much appreciated” in much the same way as “much appreciation.” However, this comes as a verb, rather than a noun:

Everyone very much appreciated the CEO’s efforts because he saved the company thousands of dollars in excess costs.

That said, you can also use it as a closing statement before your signature:

Much Appreciated,

Janet Smith

When It Would Be Strange

The only place in an email using either phrase would be strange, whether for work or otherwise, is in your introduction or salutation. The only exception would be is if you are in the midst of an email change with another coworker. For example:

Incorrect

Much Appreciation!

I just want to start this email by extolling the virtues of the CEO who saved the company thousands of dollars in excess costs . . .

Correct

After receiving an email from a coworker in a thread of conversation, it would be appropriate to say something like:

Much Appreciated!

Thank you for that link, this will help develop the report to show how the CEO saved the company thousands of dollars in excess costs . . .

Conclusion

As you can see, there isn’t too much difference between “much appreciation” or “much appreciated.” The only difference is that “much appreciation” is often a noun whereas “much appreciated” is a verb.

Conor