bless

play

verb \ˈbles\

Definition of bless

blessed

play \ˈblest\ also

blest

play \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
4a : praise, glorify bless his holy nameb : 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

See bless defined for English-language learners

See bless defined for kids

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 of bless from the Web

The decision to bless the EME specification as a W3C standard was made last week in spite of substantial opposition from organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

— david kravets, Ars Technica, "Global Web standard for integrating DRM into browsers hits a snag," 12 July 2017
Or rather, Grace has found them, shining down upon America by blessing its people.

— elliot kaufman, National Review, "Grace on the Fourth of July," 4 July 2017
As Sachs documents in memorable fashion, the young Italian, blessed with an astounding musical memory and an acute understanding of musical structure and style, rose steadily through the ranks.

— jonathan rosenberg, The Christian Science Monitor, "'Toscanini: Musician of Conscience' is a feast of music, culture, politics," 29 June 2017
The two held hands across the table, and Mock asked God to bless and protect the man, to bring opportunities for him.

— brody miller, Indianapolis Star, "Colts mascot found who he wants to be wearing a horse costume," 28 June 2017
FacebookPinterest Our July cover star also blessed us with the gift of jams.

— GQ, "Mahershala Ali's Summer Playlist Will Have You Feeling Alright," 21 June 2017
Beyonce has reportedly blessed the world with her twins.

— thr staff, The Hollywood Reporter, "Beyonce Welcomes Twins (Report)," 18 June 2017
A. I’ve been blessed to have found some very helpful and purposeful mentors throughout my career, such as Aaron Eggert and David Jacobsen.

— leah kodner, Twin Cities, "Startup Showcase: An online, on-demand marketplace for car repair," 17 June 2017
Part one of the two-phase study, released in January 2016, blessed the figure.

— hannah hess, Science | AAAS, "Despite Trump executive order, social cost of carbon still studied by federal agency," 15 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bless.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bless

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

BLESS Defined for English Language Learners

bless

play

verb

Definition of bless for English Language Learners

: to make (something or someone) holy by saying a special prayer
: to ask God to care for and protect (someone or something)
: to provide (a person, place, etc.) with something good or desirable

BLESS Defined for Kids

bless

play

verb \ˈbles\

Definition of bless for Students

blessed

\ˈblest\ also

blest

;

blessing

1 : to make holy by a religious ceremony or words bless an altar
2 : to ask the favor or protection of God for Bless the children of the world. Hint: The phrase bless you is used to wish good health especially to someone who has just sneezed.
3 : to praise or honor as holy bless the Lord
4 : to give happiness or good fortune to He is blessed with good health.