Missing a meeting happens to everyone at some point. Whether due to a schedule mix-up, family emergency, or technical issues, failing to attend a scheduled meeting can put you in an awkward position. The right apology email can help repair any damage to your professional relationships and show respect for others’ time.
These sample apology emails will help you say sorry properly after missing a meeting. Each template addresses different situations and can be easily changed to fit your needs. Using these examples as a guide will help you write an honest, clear apology that helps keep your professional connections strong.
Sample Apology Emails
Here are fifteen email templates you can use when you need to apologize for missing a meeting.
1. Basic Apology for Missing a Meeting
Subject: Apology for Missing Our 3 PM Meeting Today
Dear Marcus,
I want to apologize for missing our scheduled meeting today at 3 PM. I made a mistake when entering it in my calendar and only realized my error after the meeting time had passed.
I value your time greatly and feel terrible about this oversight. Would it be possible to reschedule for tomorrow or later this week? I am free any time after 1 PM tomorrow and most of Thursday.
Again, please accept my sincere apology for this mistake. I look forward to our conversation and promise to be more careful with my scheduling going forward.
Best regards, [Your full name, position, company name, phone number, email address]
2. Apology for Missing a Meeting Due to Family Emergency
Subject: Missed Meeting – Family Emergency
Dear Sarah,
Please accept my apology for missing our team meeting this morning. My son became suddenly ill, and I had to take him to urgent care. Due to the rush, I was unable to notify you before the meeting started.
I understand how important this project planning session was and hate that I couldn’t attend. Could you please share any notes or decisions made during the meeting? I’m happy to schedule a catch-up call to get up to speed with anything I missed.
My son is doing better now, and I’ll be back in the office tomorrow. Thank you for your understanding during this unexpected situation.
Sincerely, [Your full name, position, department, company name, phone number, email address]
3. Apology for Technical Issues During Virtual Meeting
Subject: Apology for Today’s Technical Difficulties
Hello Raj,
I want to apologize for the technical problems that prevented me from joining our Zoom meeting this afternoon. My internet connection failed just as the meeting was starting, and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t get back online until after the scheduled time had passed.
I feel terrible about missing this important discussion about the Johnson project. Would you be willing to give me a quick overview of what was decided? I’d also be happy to schedule a short follow-up call if that would be helpful.
I’ve since contacted my internet provider and resolved the issue, so this shouldn’t happen again for our future meetings.
Thanks for your understanding, [Your full name, title, department, company name, phone number, email signature with company logo]
4. Apology for Double-Booking
Subject: My Apologies for Missing Today’s Budget Review
Dear Finance Team,
I sincerely apologize for missing our budget review meeting this morning. I accidentally double-booked myself with a client call that couldn’t be rescheduled.
This was entirely my mistake in planning, and I should have checked my calendar more carefully. I know how valuable everyone’s time is, especially during our busy end-of-quarter period.
Could someone please share the meeting minutes with me? I’d like to review what was discussed and contribute any needed input for the budget finalization.
I’ve adjusted my calendar management process to prevent this from happening again.
With apologies, [Your full name, position title, department, company name, office location, phone number, email address]
5. Apology to a Client for Missing a Meeting
Subject: My Sincere Apologies for Missing Our Appointment
Dear Mr. Chen,
I want to extend my deepest apologies for missing our scheduled consultation today at 2 PM. A traffic accident on the highway led to an unexpected two-hour delay in my commute, and I was unable to reach you by phone due to poor cell service in the area.
As a valued client, your time is precious, and I feel terrible about this missed appointment. I would like to offer you a 15% discount on our next service as a small way to make up for the inconvenience.
Would it be possible to reschedule our meeting for later this week? I am available at your convenience and will make this a top priority.
Thank you for your understanding, [Your full name, position, company name, business address, phone number, email address, company website]
6. Apology for Missing an Internal Team Meeting
Subject: Apology for Absence at Today’s Team Meeting
Hi Team,
I want to apologize for missing our weekly team meeting this morning. I had an urgent call with a client whose system went down, which ran much longer than expected.
I should have asked someone to notify you all about my situation. My absence was not meant to show any lack of respect for the team or the importance of our meetings.
Could someone please fill me in on what I missed? I’m especially interested in updates on our current projects and any new tasks assigned to me.
Thanks for your understanding, [Your name, team position, department, company email, direct phone line, messaging app username]
7. Apology for Missing a Job Interview
Subject: Apology for Missing Interview – [Position Title]
Dear Ms. Johnson,
I am writing to offer my sincere apology for missing my interview for the Marketing Coordinator position scheduled for 10 AM today. My car broke down on the way to your office, and in the stress of the moment, I was unable to find your contact information to notify you promptly.
I remain very interested in the position and in joining your team at ABC Company. If you are willing to reschedule the interview, I would be extremely grateful for a second chance to discuss how my skills align with your needs.
I understand that reliability is crucial in any role, and I can assure you that this situation was truly outside my normal pattern of behavior. References from my previous employers can confirm my strong track record of dependability.
Thank you for your consideration, [Your full name, phone number, email address, LinkedIn profile URL]
8. Apology for Missing a Sales Meeting
Subject: Apologies for Missing Our Sales Discussion
Dear Michael,
Please accept my apology for missing our sales meeting yesterday afternoon. I was stuck in another meeting that ran far beyond its scheduled time, dealing with an unexpected issue from one of our major accounts.
I know you took time out of your busy schedule to discuss potential orders for the upcoming quarter, and I failed to honor that commitment. I take full responsibility for not sending you a message when I realized I would be delayed.
I would very much like to reschedule our discussion. The new product line I wanted to show you has features that I believe would greatly benefit your operations.
Are you available any time this Thursday or Friday? I will make sure to keep that time completely clear.
My apologies again, [Your full name, sales position, company name, mobile number, email, company website link]
9. Apology for Missing a Regular Check-in Meeting
Subject: Sorry for Missing Our Weekly Check-in
Hi Jamie,
I want to apologize for missing our regular Monday check-in meeting. I had a doctor’s appointment that ran much longer than expected, and I couldn’t access my phone to let you know.
I know these weekly meetings are important for keeping our project on track. Could we perhaps have a quick catch-up call tomorrow morning instead? I’m free between 9 AM and 11 AM.
I’ve attached the progress report I was going to discuss during our meeting so you can review it before we talk.
Sorry again for any inconvenience, [Your name, team role, project name, company phone extension, email address]
10. Apology for Missing a Meeting Due to Illness
Subject: Apology for Absence – Sudden Illness
Dear Dr. Patel,
I sincerely apologize for missing our research committee meeting this morning. I woke up with a high fever and severe symptoms that made it impossible for me to attend or even call in.
I understand how critical these planning sessions are, especially as we approach the grant submission deadline. Now that I’m feeling slightly better, I’ve reviewed the agenda and have some thoughts to contribute on the methodology section.
Would it be possible for you to share any notes from the meeting? I’m happy to work extra hours to catch up on any assigned tasks.
Thank you for your understanding during this unfortunate timing of my illness.
Regards, [Your full name, academic position, department, institution, office number, academic email address]
11. Apology for Missing a Meeting Due to Misunderstanding
Subject: Apology for Missing Today’s Discussion
Dear Alex,
I want to apologize for not attending our meeting today. I mistakenly thought our discussion was scheduled for tomorrow, the 15th, rather than today, the 14th. This was entirely my error in reading the calendar invitation.
I know your schedule is busy, and I feel terrible about wasting your valuable time. I’ve double-checked all my upcoming appointments to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Would you be willing to reschedule? I’m available any time that works for you this week and will make this my highest priority.
My sincere apologies, [Your name, professional title, company division, work phone, email address, professional social media handles]
12. Apology for Missing a Meeting Due to Time Zone Confusion
Subject: Apology for Time Zone Mix-up
Dear Global Team,
I owe you all an apology for missing today’s project update call. I made an error converting the meeting time from EST to my local time zone, which resulted in me logging in two hours after the meeting had ended.
This mistake was entirely my fault, and I understand it may have delayed important decisions for our international project. Could someone please send me the recording or notes from the call? I want to make sure I’m fully caught up on all discussions and decisions.
Going forward, I’ve updated my calendar to automatically display meeting times in both time zones to prevent this from happening again.
With sincere apologies, [Your name, country location, role in global team, international phone number with country code, email address]
13. Apology for Missing a Meeting While on Vacation
Subject: Apology for Calendar Oversight During My Vacation
Dear Team,
I want to apologize for the meeting that remained on everyone’s calendar yesterday during my vacation. I should have canceled or rescheduled it before leaving, and I failed to do so.
I understand several of you waited for me to join the call, which was a poor use of your valuable time. This was completely my oversight in planning for my time away.
I’m back in the office now and available to discuss the topics that were on our agenda. Would tomorrow at the same time work for everyone?
Thank you for your patience, [Your name, team lead title, department, company internal messaging contact, email address, desk location]
14. Apology for Missing a Virtual Meeting Due to Power Outage
Subject: Missed Meeting Due to Power Outage – My Apologies
Hello Lisa,
I want to apologize for missing our virtual meeting this afternoon. My neighborhood experienced an unexpected power outage just ten minutes before our scheduled call, which knocked out both my electricity and cell service.
I tried using my phone’s data to join, but the coverage was too weak to maintain a connection. Power was only restored about 30 minutes ago, well after our meeting time had passed.
I was looking forward to discussing the marketing campaign with you and feel terrible about this circumstance. Would you have time tomorrow for a make-up call? I’m free all morning and would be happy to work around your schedule.
My sincerest apologies for the inconvenience, [Your full name, marketing role, agency name, alternate contact number, email address, digital portfolio link]
15. Apology for Missing a Meeting Due to Personal Crisis
Subject: My Apologies for Today’s Absence
Dear Ms. Williams,
I need to apologize for missing our planned meeting this morning. I experienced an unexpected personal crisis that required my immediate attention. While I prefer to keep the details private, please know that it was truly an emergency situation that could not be postponed.
I value our professional relationship greatly and would never intentionally miss our scheduled time together. Now that the situation is stable, I am back and focused on our business matters.
Could we possibly reschedule for later this week? I’m available Thursday afternoon or anytime Friday, but I can also work around your schedule if those times don’t work for you.
Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time.
With appreciation, [Your name, business relationship to recipient, company affiliation, contact phone, professional email, business hours]
Wrapping Up: Effective Apology Emails
When you miss a meeting, a quick, honest apology can help maintain your professional relationships. The key is to take full responsibility, explain briefly without making excuses, and offer a clear way to make things right. Use these templates as starting points, but always add your personal touch to make your apology genuine.
Remember that actions speak louder than words. After sending your apology, make sure to follow through on any promised next steps and take measures to prevent similar situations in the future. A good apology followed by improved behavior shows true professionalism and respect for others’ time.