bless

verb

blessed ˈblest How to pronounce bless (audio) also blest ˈblest How to pronounce bless (audio) ; 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

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 The Bigger, Longer-Term Picture Geographically blessed, demographically poised and economically resilient, the U.S. faces a potential real estate challenge that could be severe and possibly contagious. Caleb Richter, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 This time of year is really important just to eat good, bless each other, and bless those who are less fortunate than us. Florence O'Connor, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2023 As if all of this isn't enough, the brand blessed us with seven new limited-edition sets — some exclusively available this weekend. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 22 Nov. 2023 We were blessed to be surrounded by incredible friends & family who supported us each step of the way. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 20 Nov. 2023 Monica, with a son in college and a daughter who is about to start her master’s degree program, bought two folders of academic degrees to be blessed by the Virgin. Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023 To the owners, the relocation vote was less about blessing a slam-dunk move and more about grabbing a lifeline extended by Las Vegas rather than prolonging the never-ending search for a new ballpark in Oakland. Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 Well, Eric Carr, bless him, was one of the pure souls, never said anything bad about anybody, was a multi-instrumentalist, could play piano, keyboards, guitar. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023 Little guy is so lucky to have these aunties and I’m forever blessed to have their love. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bless.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of bless was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bless

Cite this Entry

“Bless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bless. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

bless

verb
blessed ˈblest How to pronounce bless (audio) also blest ˈblest How to pronounce bless (audio) ; 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
Etymology

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

More from Merriam-Webster on bless

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