BLESS Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

bless

verb

ˈbles

Definition of bless

as in to consecrate

to make holy through prayers or ritual the priest blessed the water, thus allowing it to be used as holy water for various rites

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to celebrate

to proclaim the glory of bless the name of God

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to gift

to furnish freely or naturally with some power, quality, or attribute blessed with a knack for glib conversation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bless Thus, Monday’s lawsuit is a high-profile example of state-level officials trying to block a merger that has already been blessed by the federal government. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 13 July 2026 The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 12 July 2026 Penned in partnership with Vallicelli Design studio, the newcomer is blessed with Pershing’s sporty DNA, combining a clean, contemporary silhouette with impressive performance specs. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 10 July 2026 Christ and the Christ child often hold up their hands to bless the viewer. — Denva Gallant, The Conversation, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bless

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bless

Verb

The Vatican declared the group of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide in schism after the SSPX consecrated four bishops in Switzerland without Pope Leo XIV’s approval this month.

— Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
On July 2, the Vatican decreed the excommunication of the SSPX’s bishops and priests, one day after the group consecrated four new bishops in Switzerland without the pope’s consent.

— Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026

Definition of consecrate

Verb

Videos from Bangladesh, especially the capital city of Dhaka, of fans crowding the streets and celebrating Argentina victories have been a regular feature on social media across the tournament.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 19 July 2026
This is the Gion Matsuri festival, born more than 1,000 years ago as a ritual to ward off epidemics and celebrated in the former imperial city of Kyoto throughout July.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026

Definition of celebrate

Verb

In the early 1990s, an anonymous donor gifted $130,000 over two years to put in heaters, upgrade restrooms and work on pipes and landscaping, among other improvements.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2026
By gifting her peonies, they’ve been added to the group in Kristin’s garden.

— Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026

Definition of gift

Verb

Instead, Talnua Distillery—located in Arvada, Colorado—has dedicated its existence to single pot still whiskey, focusing production on a uniquely American version.

— David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
More than 250 wealthy people have signed the Giving Pledge, a promise to dedicate a majority of their wealth to philanthropy.

— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 22 July 2026

Definition of dedicate

Verb

Messi praised Yamal as a top talent during an event with Fanatics in between the respective press conferences.

— Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Clement, whose own All-Star rise was influenced by Mattingly, praised his former coach's success, noting his reunion with his son, the Phillies' general manager.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026

Definition of praise

Verb

So does the king’s loyal swineherd, Eumaeus (John Leguizamo), who, in this telling, has gone blind and is thus endowed with near-Tiresian powers of perception.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
The gift also includes a $45 million donation to endow Yeager-Crasselt’s position and to fund a wing named for the donor, which will be designed by Annabelle Selldorf, an in-demand architect among arts institutions.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of endow

Verb

To say that the Union was sacred and the touchstone of democracy was to strengthen slavery by sanctifying the state that protected it.

— Dominic Erdozain, Time, 3 July 2026
The cruelest dimension of this is that a Christianity hijacked by the evangelical right now seeks to sanctify that mythology in the name of God.

— Otis Moss III, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026

Definition of sanctify

Verb

Yet, these grounds were hallowed to the African American community.

— Chip Colwell, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2025
In a new political environment in which none of the new leaders could claim to be revolutionary founding fathers, Deng’s blessing hallowed Jiang and Hu and helped ensure that each survived the vicissitudes of succession politics.

— Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2025

Definition of hallow

Browse Nearby Words

blend (with)

bless

blessed

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“Bless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bless. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of bless

verb

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