Blessing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈble-siŋ/ bless·ing

Meaning & Definition of Blessing

Blessing (noun)

  1. the act or words of one that blesses
  2. approval, encouragement
  3. a thing conducive to happiness or welfare

Blessing (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a prayer calling for divine care, protection, or favor

    "that rabbi always ends the service with a short blessing"

    similar: benediction, benison, laying on of hands
    related: Godspeed, appeal, entreaty, grace, intercession, invocation, orison, petition, plea, prayer, supplication, sanctification
    opposite: anathema, curse, execration, imprecation, malediction

  2. something that provides happiness or does good for a person or thing

    "winning the lottery shortly after being laid off was an unexpected blessing"

    similar: benediction, benefit, boon, felicity, godsend, good, manna, windfall
    related: grace, mercy, favor, kindness, mitzvah, advantage, aid, assistance, gift, help, relief, support, anodyne, comfort, consolation, solace, bonus, extra, lagniappe, delight, joy, pleasure
    opposite: affliction, bane, curse, evil, plague, scourge
    near: hex, hoodoo, jinx, bother, irritant, nuisance, pest, disadvantage, cross, misery, trial, tribulation

  3. an acceptance of something as satisfactory

    "Mr. Roberts promptly gave his blessing to his daughter's choice of husband"

    similar: approbation, approval, favor, imprimatur, OK, clean bill of health, pat on the back
    related: backing, cachet, endorsement, finalization, formalization, homologation, nod, ratification, rubber stamp, sanction, support, thumbs-up, vote, benediction, goodwill, acceptation, accession, agreement, assent, concurrence, consent, countenance, liking, satisfaction
    opposite: disapprobation, disapproval, disfavor
    near: refusal, rejection, repudiation, dislike, dissatisfaction, censure, condemnation, criticism, denunciation, deprecation, depreciation, disparagement, opprobrium, reprehension, reproach, reprobation

  4. the act of making something holy through religious ritual

    "traditionally, worshippers kneel during the blessing of the communion wafers"

    similar: consecration, hallowing, sanctification
    related: purification, dedication, adoration, glorification, reverence, veneration, worship
    near: debasement, defilement, desecration, impiety, irreverence, profanation, sacrilege

Blessing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make holy through prayers or ritual

    "the priest blessed the water, thus allowing it to be used as holy water for various rites"

    similar: consecrating, hallowing, sacralizing, sanctifying
    related: baptizing, canonizing, spiritualizing, chastening, cleansing, lustrating, purifying, exorcising, expurgating, committing, dedicating, devoting, reconsecrating
    opposite: deconsecrating, desacralizing, desanctifying
    near: defiling, desecrating, profaning, dirtying, fouling, polluting, soiling, tainting, violating, blaspheming, cursing, cussing, damning, execrating, casting out, condemning, punishing

  2. to proclaim the glory of

    "bless the name of God"

    similar: caroling, celebrating, emblazoning, exalting, extolling, glorifying, hymning, lauding, magnifying, praising, resounding
    related: adoring, belauding, deifying, idolizing, worshipping, acclaiming, applauding, commending, complimenting, hailing, renowning, saluting, chanting, cheering, eulogizing, rhapsodizing, citing, flattering, cracking up, recommending, touting
    near: blaming, censuring, reprehending, reprobating, criticizing, reproving, admonishing, chiding, keelhauling, rebuking, reprimanding, reproaching, castigating, lambasting

  3. to furnish freely or naturally with some power, quality, or attribute

    "blessed with a knack for glib conversation"

    similar: endowing, enduing, favoring, gifting, investing
    related: equipping, providing, supplying, bestowing (on or upon), clothing, conferring (on), covering, according, awarding, granting, empowering, enabling, enhancing, enriching, heightening, bequeathing, willing
    near: dispossessing, divesting, stripping, depleting, draining, exhausting, skimping, stinting

Related Entry: Bless (verb)

Bless is a different word from Blessing. The synonyms below are for bless, not for blessing.

  1. to make holy through prayers or ritual

    "the priest blessed the water, thus allowing it to be used as holy water for various rites"

    similar: consecrate, hallow, sacralize, sanctify
    related: baptize, canonize, spiritualize, chasten, cleanse, lustrate, purify, exorcise, expurgate, commit, dedicate, devote, reconsecrate
    opposite: deconsecrate, desacralize, desanctify
    near: defile, desecrate, profane, dirty, foul, pollute, soil, taint, violate, blaspheme, curse, cuss, damn, execrate, cast out, condemn, punish

  2. to proclaim the glory of

    "bless the name of God"

    similar: carol, celebrate, emblazon, exalt, extol, glorify, hymn, laud, magnify, praise, resound
    related: adore, belaud, deify, idolize, worship, acclaim, applaud, commend, compliment, hail, renown, salute, chant, cheer, eulogize, rhapsodize, cite, flatter, crack up, recommend, tout
    near: blame, censure, reprehend, reprobate, criticize, reprove, admonish, chide, keelhaul, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, castigate, lambaste

  3. to furnish freely or naturally with some power, quality, or attribute

    "blessed with a knack for glib conversation"

    similar: endow, endue, favor, gift, invest
    related: equip, provide, supply, bestow (on or upon), clothe, confer (on), cover, accord, award, grant, empower, enable, enhance, enrich, heighten, bequeath, will
    near: dispossess, divest, strip, deplete, drain, exhaust, skimp, stint

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Blessing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Blessing:

benediction, benison, benefit, boon, felicity, godsend, good, manna, windfall, approbation, approval, favor, imprimatur, OK, consecration, hallowing, sanctification, laying on of hands, clean bill of health, pat on the back, consecrating, sacralizing, sanctifying, caroling, celebrating, emblazoning, exalting, extolling, glorifying, hymning, lauding, magnifying, praising, resounding, endowing, enduing, favoring, gifting, investing

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Blessing

Words with the opposite meaning of Blessing:

anathema, curse, execration, imprecation, malediction, affliction, bane, evil, plague, scourge, disapprobation, disapproval, disfavor, deconsecrating, desacralizing, desanctifying

Related Words for Blessing

Godspeed, appeal, entreaty, grace, intercession, invocation, orison, petition, plea, prayer, supplication, mercy, kindness, mitzvah, advantage, aid, assistance, gift, help, relief, support, anodyne, comfort, consolation, solace, bonus, extra, lagniappe, delight, joy

Near Antonyms of Blessing

hex, hoodoo, jinx, bother, irritant, nuisance, pest, disadvantage, cross, misery, trial, tribulation, refusal, rejection, repudiation, dislike, dissatisfaction, censure, condemnation, criticism, denunciation, deprecation, depreciation, disparagement, opprobrium, reprehension, reproach, reprobation, debasement, defilement

Origin & Etymology of Blessing

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Blessing

Words & Phrases Containing Blessing

mixed blessing, second blessing

Frequently Asked Questions about Blessing

What does "Blessing" mean?

"Blessing" means the act or words of one that blesses. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the act or words of one that blesses. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Blessing"?

Other words for "Blessing" include benediction, benison, benefit, boon, felicity, godsend, good and manna. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Blessing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Blessing"?

There are 150 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Blessing". Common alternatives include benediction, benison, benefit, boon, felicity, godsend, good, manna, windfall and approbation.

What is the opposite of "Blessing"?

Antonyms of "Blessing" include anathema, curse, execration, imprecation, malediction, affliction, bane and evil. Near antonyms include hex, hoodoo, jinx and bother.

How do you use "Blessing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Blessing" in a sentence: "that rabbi always ends the service with a short blessing"; "winning the lottery shortly after being laid off was an unexpected blessing"; "Mr. Roberts promptly gave his blessing to his daughter's choice of husband".

Is "Blessing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Blessing" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Blessing" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Blessing" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Blessing"?

"Blessing" is pronounced /ˈble-siŋ/ and divided into syllables as bless·ing.