1
religion
: to hallow or consecrate by religious rite or word
asked the priest to bless their marriage
Bless this home.
2
religion
: to hallow with the sign of the cross
He blessed himself before liftoff.
3
: to invoke divine care for
bless your heart
—used in the phrase bless you to wish good health especially to one who has just sneezed
5
: to confer prosperity or happiness upon
God has blessed us with four children.
variants
or less commonly blest
1
2
: of or enjoying happiness
specifically, Christianity
: enjoying the bliss of heaven
—used as a title for a beatified person
the blessed Virgin Mary
3
: bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune
a blessed event
4
—used as an intensive
… never had one blessed minute of instruction …—
Charles Scribner, Jr.
Charles Scribner, Jr.
blessedly
adverb
blessedness
noun
Examples of bless in a Sentence
Verb
The priest blessed their marriage at the wedding.
The water for the baptism has been blessed.
The priest blessed the baby I held in my arms.
Adjective
The rain brought blessed relief from the heat.
He spent his weekend in blessed freedom.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Later this month, Pope Leo XIV will visit Barcelona’s famed Sagrada Familia to inaugurate and bless the Tower of Jesus Christ, the final tower of the long-gestating church.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 4 June 2026
Paul Taylor, New York Times, 27 May 2026
On Good Friday, there was a Yankees Opening Day game played in the afternoon hours, which coincided with this most blessed holiday.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bless
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Verb
So God bless the United States of America.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Later this month, Pope Leo XIV will visit Barcelona’s famed Sagrada Familia to inaugurate and bless the Tower of Jesus Christ, the final tower of the long-gestating church.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 4 June 2026
Adjective
As the dust settles on a campaign that began with high hopes and ended with a sense of blessed relief, here is The Athletic’s end-of-season review.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 27 May 2026
On Good Friday, there was a Yankees Opening Day game played in the afternoon hours, which coincided with this most blessed holiday.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bless
Cite this Entry
“Bless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bless. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Etymology
Verb
Old English blētsian, blēdsian "to bless, to consecrate (originally with blood)," derived from blōd "blood"
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
