mixed blessing

noun

1. something that, although generally favorable or advantageous, has one or more unfavorable or disadvantageous features.

mixed blessing

noun

1. an event, situation, etc, having both advantages and disadvantages

Word History and Origins

Origin of mixed blessing¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Idioms and Phrases

Something that has both good and bad features, as in Being accepted by the college was a mixed blessing, since she couldn't afford the tuition. [First half of 1900s]

Example Sentences

And if you are drawing Social Security and you benefit each year from the annual cost-of-living adjustment, that, too, is a mixed blessing.

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For history-loving travelers, this has been a mixed blessing, as the city-state has gained a reputation for knocking down historic structures for malls with an energy that outstrips Las Vegas.

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Togetherness can be a mixed blessing.

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But depending on the storms’ strength and path, it could be a bit of a mixed blessing.

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“We’re all indoctrinated into thinking that there’s nothing more important than autonomy, but it’s a very mixed blessing,” says Schwartz.

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