Let me know if you hate “let me know”
I’m sick of this phrase. Let me know. It’s the ultimate passive-aggressive statement. It’s both a request and a directive and poor version of both. “Let me know” says “Hey, I’m here for you. But I’m not doing a damn thing until you do.” It’s the business email equivalent of a Wild West stand off. And I hear it, use it, say it at least twenty times a day. It’s unavoidable
Probably the most irksome quality of “let me know” is how there’s no synonym for it. I can say “please inform me” or “give me a holler” or “speak up” but no other phrase has the same connotation. Nor can I use alternatives with such brevity. “Let me know if need more information” reads a lot easier than “I can provide more info if you need it.”
I think I’ll try using “Please engage me” more often – but there’s a weird come-hither connotation that comes with “engage” AND it’s hard not to think of Captain Piccard when you hear the word. Foiled again.
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5 comments
Regan
Sep 17, 01:03 AM
I’ll LET YOU KNOW that I’m now keenly aware of how many times I say “let me know” on any given day at the office. It’s been about 2 weeks since I first read this, and I think I liked it better when I didn’t have a lingering feeling of guilt after shoveling responsibility from my plate to someone else’s. THANKS Dave.
:)
tom
Dec 1, 11:50 AM
I just googled, synonym let me know, you’re post came up. The only others were synonym pages with people saying let me know if this helps you. haha.
I can’t think of anything and please engage men doesn’t look right in email to me. Have you found any luck with others?
Other phrases I hate, “it is what it is,” “at the end of the day,” “right?” after every phrase.
foramgoram
May 26, 11:17 AM
What about “apprise me” or “advise me”?
Lisette
Sep 3, 12:31 PM
I know your request was posted a long time ago, but it might be useful to others!?
Wondering how to get read of “please let me know” so I typed ‘synonym let me know’ on google and your page came up…
I liked “please advise me” suggestion that i just used and also put “please confirm wether”
Y
Dec 12, 03:06 AM
i came accross this in the same way as tom did, and found it rather amusing. my first thought was , god, people these days, instead of helping homeless people or african children people invest their energy in blogging about use of language… but i completely see how everything should have its place for expression and analysis.
that being said, how about, “Keep me posted”? the most colloquial sounding term i heard which has some equivalency to let me know.
keep writing entertaining posts and let me know what you think…
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