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 5) said at a meal

said the blessing before dinner

Synonyms

• benediction
• benison

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

These Black prayer practices and sacred recipes acknowledge how each year brings in blessings and continues a long road toward freedom. —Nyya Toussaint / Made By History, TIME, 31 Dec. 2024

Our common vision of a free and just society is our greatest source of cohesion at home and strength abroad — greater even than the bounty of our material blessings. —Marty Steinberg, CNBC, 29 Dec. 2024

Drury, with owner James Dolan’s blessing, is charting a new path, one in which the Rangers’ aging forward group is being taken apart and a very shallow defense corps needs shoring up. —Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024

Two years later, the mom of two shared a video of her and Willow singing Hanukkah blessings together. —Sophie Dodd, People.com, 25 Dec. 2024

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

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