bless

verb

ˈbles 

blessed ˈblest  also blest ˈblest  ; blessing

transitive verb

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

4

a

: praise, glorify

bless his holy name

b

: to speak well of : approve

5

: to confer prosperity or happiness upon

God has blessed us with four children.

6

archaic : protect, preserve

Bless me from marrying a usurer!

—Shakespeare

7

: endow, favor

blessed with athletic ability

Synonyms of bless

• consecrate
• dedicate
• sanctify
• hallow

Examples of bless in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

No sooner than the broadcast of the Braves’ Wild Card Series game began Tuesday, showing pockets of empty seats at Truist Park, the social-media geniuses blessed us with their bouquets of wisdom. — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Fashion designer Simon Port Jacquemus listed it among his favorite addresses in Vogue, and French street artist Invader unofficially blessed the building with one of his trademark mosaics. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

He’s been blessed with a sense of the moment and a sense of humor. — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

As Edward Cullen, a vampire blessed with brooding, Byronic good looks, Pattinson captivated audiences, becoming a heartthrob for a rising generation of moviegoers. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 27 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English blētsian, from blōd blood; from the use of blood in consecration

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bless

• bless my soul
• bless you
• God bless you

Rhymes for bless

• chess
• cress
• dress
• es
• ess
• esse
• fess
• guess
• jess
• less
• lesse
• mess

Kids Definition

bless

verb

ˈbles 

blessed ˈblest  also blest ˈblest  ; blessing

1

: to make holy : hallow

2

: to make the sign of the cross upon or over

3

: to ask divine care or protection for

4

: to praise or honor as holy

5

: to make successful or happy

6

: endow sense 2, favor

Etymology

Old English blētsian, blēdsian "to bless, to consecrate (originally with blood)," derived from blōd "blood"