bless

[ bles ]

/ blɛs /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: bless / blessed / blesses / blessing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), blessed or blest, bless·ing.

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

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR bless

1 exalt, hallow, glorify, magnify, beatify.

See synonyms for bless on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

OTHER WORDS FROM bless

blesser, nounbless·ing·ly, adverboutbless, verb (used with object), out·blessed or out·blest, out·bles·sing.pre·bless, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bless in a sentence

I’m one of those who’s been blessed to have found such people, in the form of three notable, incredibly successful figures who have helped me build my own private equity career.
From mentorship to friendship to love: What I learned from three investing giants|matthewheimer|November 10, 2020|Fortune
I have been blessed to call Dupont Circle my home for nearly a decade, watching it change and grow before my very own eyes.
Robin Nunn for Dupont Circle ANC|Robin Nunn|October 30, 2020|Washington Blade
Billy Joe Shaver would tell you he was blessed and charmed, but he also couldn’t hide that he knew he deserved better.
Nobody wrote songs like Billy Joe Shaver|Geoff Edgers|October 29, 2020|Washington Post
For now, though, Sander said, “Looking to other countries, it feels like being on an island of the blessed.”
Why Vienna opera singers are ready to risk their lives to perform in a pandemic|Julia Belluz|September 30, 2020|Vox

In fact, at Rome’s Olympic Stadium, the pope once knelt and was blessed by a gathering of thousands of Catholic charismatics, all speaking in tongues.
What Is Charismatic Catholicism?|LGBTQ-Editor|September 29, 2020|No Straight News
Le roi pouvait crer ce duch en sa faveur, sans blesser aucune susceptibilit militaire.
Notes and Queries, Number 177, March 19, 1853|Various
Ce n'est pas pour vous blesser, but the hole you Americans can make——'
A London Life; The Patagonia; The Liar; Mrs. Temperly|Henry James
Then both the blesser and the blessed will praise God for his boundless love.
The Harp of God|J. F. Rutherford

British Dictionary definitions for bless

bless

/ (blɛs) /

verb blesses, blessing, blessed or blest (tr)

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 tothey were blessed with perfect peace

(usually passive) to endow with a talent, beauty, etcshe was blessed with an even temper

rare to protect against evil or harm

bless! (interjection) an exclamation of well-wishing

bless you! (interjection)

a traditional phrase said to a person who has just sneezed
an exclamation of well-wishing or surprise

bless me!, bless my soul! or God bless my soul! (interjection) an exclamation of surprise

not have a penny to bless oneself with to be desperately poor

Word Origin for bless

Old English blǣdsian to sprinkle with sacrificial blood; related to blōd blood

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

bless

OTHER WORDS FOR bless

Origin of bless

OTHER WORDS FROM bless

Words related to bless

How to use bless in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bless

Word Origin for bless