blessing

1 of 2

noun

bless·​ing ˈble-siŋ 

1

a

: the act or words of one that blesses

say the blessing over the wine

a priestly blessing

b

: approval, encouragement

asked her parents for their blessing before he proposed

2

: a thing conducive to happiness or welfare

My daughter is a blessing to me in my old age.

Their absence turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Count your blessings.

3

: grace (see grace entry 1 sense 4) said at a meal

said the blessing before dinner

blessing

2 of 2

present participle of bless

Synonyms of blessing

Noun

• prayer
• petition
• benediction
• benison
• plea

Examples of blessing in a Sentence

Noun

Presumably he was acting with the government's blessing.

They got married without their parents' blessing.

We asked the Lord's blessing on us and on our project.

He said a blessing before the meal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After liberation, Daniel’s family returned to Veria, counting their blessings as most of Greece’s Jewish community had been killed by German forces. — Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

But maybe, Atlanta native and Midtown resident John Henry Hinkel suggested, Hollywood’s departure is more a blessing than a curse. — Felicia Feaster, AJC.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Also back is Wilder, albeit only his voice, which has been, somewhat controversially, recreated in AI with the blessing of his wife, Wilder himself having died in 2016. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026

Two long blackboards remain, and the office-warming guests had covered them in blessings. — Afra Wang, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

see bless

First Known Use

Noun

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

Phrases Containing blessing

• mixed blessing
• second blessing

Rhymes for blessing

• dressing
• guessing
• messing
• pressing
• stressing
• accessing
• addressing
• assessing
• caressing
• compressing
• confessing
• depressing

Kids Definition

blessing

noun

bless·​ing

ˈbles-iŋ

1

: the act or words of one that blesses

2

: approval

gave my blessing to the plan

3

: something that makes one happy or content

4

: grace said at a meal