as in blessing
a prayer calling for divine care, protection, or favor
during the harbor festival the parish priest offered a benison for the local fishermen
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Recent Examples of benison
Again, not a bad gag, except that Vance, without ado, then pivoted and stiffened into piety, explaining how the touch of God had granted him the benison of a decent sleep before his speech.
—
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benison
Noun
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Therein lies the blessing and the curse.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
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You're forced to reckon with the fact that life itself is a wonder, a gift, a profound blessing.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Such rhetoric echoes in official statements as well — in prayers for destruction, in invocations of divine sanction for war and in casual references to catastrophic violence.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
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For the birth of WolfVoice's youngest daughter a few years ago, Pipe brought cedar oil, a sacred plant used for prayer, and calmed WolfVoice through her contractions.—
Katheryn Houghton,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Language barrier aside, sitting with him in the courtyard was a benediction.—
Kevin West,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
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There also will be a student reading of King’s work; live performances, including gospel music by Sherri Orr; the presentation of the 2026 Beloved Community Awards; and a benediction by Chaplain Kelly Figueroa-Ray.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Benison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benison. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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