email thread

USAGE SUMMARY

'email thread' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to an ongoing conversation or exchange of emails between two or more people. For example, "We've been having a lengthy email thread about our company's new policy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Watching these shows is like reading the most banal email thread at 3am.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

This explanation is backed up by the email thread, in which he writes: "Really happy to get critical comment here".

The Guardian

Whether it's a meeting, an email thread, or a project team, people need to be excluded from time to time.

Harvard Business Review

The first message purported to be from the generic email thread of UCL Provost Michael Arthur at 10.47pm last night, simply – and cryptically – reading just "bello".

Independent

A further leaked email thread between Sony Pictures co-chairperson Amy Pascal and movie producer Scott Rudin reveals Rudin once again harshly criticising Angelina Jolie.

Independent

I once watched gobsmacked as a group email thread among a university feminist group imploded, after one woman shared her idea for an art project encouraging body positivity.

The Guardian - Opinion

But the rules do not bar it from finding the exact same email thread through a search for my overseas correspondent.

The Guardian - Opinion

On an internal email thread at Google, employees discussed the possibility of including pro-immigration content in search, according to The Journal.

The New York Times - Tech

The email thread was a brainstorming session among employees and none of the ideas were put into effect, said Gina Scigliano, a Google spokeswoman.

The New York Times - Tech

University College London's (UCL) email database suffered a meltdown last night after a spam email was sent to every student – all 26,000 of them – opening up a black hole of an email thread with as many as 3,000 replies.

Independent

With the internal email address of '[email protected]' now visible to all, a mass email thread from irritated students commenced and, as you can expect, also had jokers taking full advantage of the security breach.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When forwarding an "email thread", summarize key points for new recipients to quickly understand the context.

Common error

Avoid changing the subject line mid-"email thread" unless the topic significantly shifts; this helps maintain clarity and context for all participants.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "email thread" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as a subject or object within a sentence. It denotes a collection of connected email messages, often pertaining to a single topic. As Ludwig shows, it's commonly used to describe ongoing conversations within an email context.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "email thread" is a common and accepted term for referring to a series of connected email messages. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and widely used across diverse contexts, from news and media to business and even scientific discussions. The phrase functions primarily as a noun phrase and serves the purpose of identifying a specific sequence of emails. While it maintains a neutral register, fitting comfortably in both professional and informal settings, it's wise to ensure subject lines remain consistent to avoid confusion within the "email thread". For more formal communications, "correspondence thread" may be a suitable alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Mailing thread

This refers to a sequence of emails about a specific topic, similar to an "email thread", but can also refer more broadly to physical mail.

Message thread

Broader term that includes any series of messages, not just emails; encompasses texts, social media DMs, etc.

Correspondence thread

More formal term, suitable for official or professional communications; implies a documented exchange.

Email conversation

Focuses on the interactive aspect of the exchange; highlights the back-and-forth nature of the communication.

Chain of emails

Emphasizes the sequential nature of the messages; often used when describing forwarding or long exchanges.

Email exchange

Highlights the reciprocal sending and receiving of emails, emphasizing the interaction between parties.

Email string

Refers to a continuous sequence of connected emails, often technical contexts.

Online thread

A general term referring to conversation threads online, more broad than "email thread".

Products thread

Refers to a continuous sequence of connected products, often technical contexts, and changes the meaning a bit from "email thread".

Messaging thread

A general term referring to conversation threads, more broad than "email thread".

FAQs

How to use "email thread" in a sentence?

You can say, "I'm currently managing an important "email thread" with the marketing team", or "Please find the relevant details in the "email thread" below".

What's a more formal alternative to "email thread"?

A more formal alternative is "correspondence thread", particularly suitable for official communications.

Is it okay to start a new email with 'Re:' to create a new "email thread"?

Starting a new email with 'Re:' to initiate a new "email thread" can be misleading. It's better to create a new email with a relevant subject line to avoid confusion.

How can I effectively manage a long "email thread"?

To manage a long "email thread", summarize previous points when adding new recipients, use clear subject lines, and avoid unnecessary 'reply-all' responses.