bless

verb

ˈbles 

blessed ˈblest  also blest 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

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

Synonyms

• consecrate
• hallow
• sacralize
• sanctify

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

As luck would have it, though, there was a camera filming (almost) everything during that last stretch—and while Federer originally intended for this footage to be viewed only by himself and his family, we’ve been blessed with it as a documentary. —Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2024

Meanwhile, Daddy Yankee blesses fans with a new song that thrives on a message of resilience and faith. —Griselda Flores, Billboard, 27 Sep. 2024

During testimony in front of the House Aviation Subcommittee on Tuesday, Whitaker said the FAA has flooded Boeing’s Renton, Washington 737 plant with its own inspectors, tasking them with individually blessing each new plane that rolls off the factory floor. —Pete Muntean, CNN, 25 Sep. 2024

Please bless us with your prayers for a safe delivery. —Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 23 Sep. 2024

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

Phrases Containing bless

• bless my soul
• bless you
• God bless you

Kids Definition

bless

verb

ˈbles 

blessed ˈblest  also blest ˈblest  ; 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

: endow sense 2, favor

Etymology

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