blessing

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

Synonyms of blessing

• prayer
• petition
• benediction
• benison
• plea

Examples of blessing in a Sentence

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

Companies from McKinsey to Pfizer have bought expensive branding on USA House, a private operation with the State Department’s blessing. —Ben Smith, semafor.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Mario doubled back for the Alabama cleansing, Nick Saban’s football version of a papal blessing and three years on staff making Mario hirable again. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 2026

Most at-home beauty devices require the FDA’s blessing to be sold. —Brennan Kilbane, Allure, 15 Jan. 2026

Once past this early part of the year, blessings are lining up for express delivery. —Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see bless

First Known Use

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