Synonyms

bless

American

[bles] / blɛs /

verb (used with object)

to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy.

Synonyms:

beatify, magnify, glorify, hallow, exalt
to request of God the bestowal of divine favor on.

Bless this house.
to bestow good of any kind upon.

a nation blessed with peace.
to extol as holy; glorify.

Bless the name of the Lord.
to protect or guard from evil (usually used as an interjection).

Bless you! Bless your innocent little heart!
to condemn or curse.

I'll be blessed if I can see your reasoning. Bless me if it isn't my old friend!
to make the sign of the cross over or upon.

The Pope blessed the multitude.

bless British

/ blɛs /

verb

to consecrate or render holy, beneficial, or prosperous by means of a religious rite
to give honour or glory to (a person or thing) as divine or holy
to call upon God to protect; give a benediction to
to worship or adore (God); call or hold holy
(often passive) to grant happiness, health, or prosperity to

they were blessed with perfect peace
(usually passive) to endow with a talent, beauty, etc

she was blessed with an even temper
rare to protect against evil or harm
(interjection) an exclamation of well-wishing
(interjection)
1. a traditional phrase said to a person who has just sneezed
2. an exclamation of well-wishing or surprise
(interjection) an exclamation of surprise
to be desperately poor

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of bless

First recorded before 950; Middle English blessen, Old English blētsian, blēdsian “to consecrate” (originally done with blood), earlier *blōdisōian ( blōd “blood” + -isō- derivational suffix + -ian verb suffix); see blood

Explanation

To bless is to offer a holy seal of approval, like when a priest blesses water, making holy water. It’s also what people say when you sneeze: bless you, which is short for “may God bless you.” If you go back far enough, the word bless is related to the word blood, because of the blood sprinkled on pagan alters. It moved on to mean “to praise,” and now it’s a little of both (minus the pagans). In religious contexts, things are made holy when they're blessed. Also, people are blessed by good things that happen. People often say things like "I've been blessed with good health.” That means they were lucky to receive such good things.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“God Bless America,” written at the end of World War I, was shelved until the canny Berlin unveiled it in 1938 as the storm clouds, as his lyric says, were gathering in Europe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

"God Bless America and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend her," the caption said.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Next to his doorstep, a bench with red, white and blue slats is emblazoned with the words "God Bless America."

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

He instead recommended the 82-year-old Lee Greenwood, who is known for “God Bless the U.S.A.,” a song released a full decade before Bad Bunny was born.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2025

“For Mrs. John Brooke, with the maker’s congratulations and compliments. Bless you, Beth! What a refreshing spectacle you are, Jo. Amy, you are getting altogether too handsome for a single lady.”

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023